Of Ice And Dragons
by Raging Archon
Summary: When Beacon fell, Weiss Schnee was forced to return to her home in Atlas, where she finds herself embroiled in her fathers politics. But it isn't long before she finds herself caught in a far deadlier game, where the wrong move could be the difference between life and death... Sequel to The Child of Prophecy.
1. The Die Is Cast

**Hello everyone, and welcome to the start of a new story. This novel follows the events that occurred in Atlas and is set at the same time as the events of 'The Child of Prophecy'. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 1- The Die is Cast**

Solitas, the aptly named continent of the North, cut off from the rest of the world by both sea and mountain. Frigid winds howled in the lonely peaks, making life near impossible for both Human and Grimm alike. But through both perseverance and adaptation, life had indeed managed to flourish. The Grimm adapted as they always did, their hides thickening to accommodate for the colder climate, with Polar Ursa and Frost Beowolves prowling the mountain peaks. Humanity itself had also managed to survive, through use of technology.

Using Dust, they created the first central heating systems, turning the Arctic climate into something more hospitable. It was on Solitas that the Mantle Empire was founded, as well in the years to come the Kingdom of Atlas. But before the Humans, there was another species that called the peaks their home, one that was charged with safeguarding the mortal races.

Secluded upon one of the highest peaks was a great forest, that seemed to blossom and thrive in spite of the polar conditions. Their bark was silver, and the leaves that sprouted from the branches was a bright luminescent blue, that seemed to hum with strange energy. Great crystals also sprouted from the surface, all of them different shades of blue, and humming with arcane magic. The most notable fonts of arcane magic though were the large pools of water that were dotted throughout the vale, which seemed to glow with overflowing fonts of magic. For this forest was the Azure Dragonshrine, home to the Blue Dragonflight.

Within one of the pools, a great Dragon bathed, his deep blue scales glowing brightly as the arcane energies surged through him, revitalising him as they splashed over him. He let out a deep sigh of content as he scanned the area surrounding him with half open violet eyes, opening his fanged maw to let out a yawn that would have made even the bravest men tremble in their armour. His eyes darted to his right as he saw two Blue Drakes fly past him, not even turning their heads to acknowledge the older Dragon. Not that he could blame them. With the Flight in the discord it was in right now, all members of the Flight, both young and old, were doing all they could to stabilise their situation.

Malygos the Spellweaver, Aspect of the Blue Dragonflight and Guardian of Magic, was dying. Millennia of madness were finally beginning to wear down the ancient Dragon, and his body was beginning to waste away. The Blue Dragonflight had done everything they could to stem off death, used every spell and every artefact within their possession but the result was the same all the time. The Aspect was dying, and a new Aspect was going to be needed. The Dragonflights across the globe were prepared for such a thing, the Blue Dragonflight more than the others. But truth be told, none actually knew HOW a new Aspect would be chosen, only that it was possible.

So far there was only one candidate who had stepped forward to replace the current Aspect, but to say he was popular was about as true as saying pigs could fly. Arygos was the son of Malygos, and as far as they knew the last living Scion of Malygos. The Blue Aspects blood pumped through the Dragons veins, but he also seemed to have inherited his fathers insanity, at least partially. He was vain and had a short fuse, the complete opposite of his father. Many openly challenged him to his claim, including himself, and even those that supported him said they only do so out of loyalty to his bloodline.

As he reflected on the situation of the Flight, his ears swivelled as they heard the distant beating of wings, getting louder as they came closer. Under normal circumstances he would have ignored it and continued resting, but he recognised the thrum of magic that surrounded the being, and let out a weary sigh. It seemed he would have to find another time to relax.

"Lord Kalecgos!" a voice shouted, getting louder as a small Blue Drake entered the clearing, landing and kneeling at the edge of the pool as the Dragon, Kalecgos, swivelled his head around to meet gaze of the younger Drake. "Lord Senegos has requested your presence, he says it is a matter of urgency."

"Thank you, Narygos." Kalecgos responded, the young Drake Narygos standing up as the older Dragon began to rise, water dripping from his pale underbelly and from joints in his limbs.

Narygos was one of the younger Blue Dragons. Whilst older than any mortal, he was considered an adolescent by other Dragons, no more mature then a Human teen. At a young age he had been assigned to serve Kalecgos, and he had grown to respect the young Blue Drake. His scales were of a darker shade than Kalecgos', and metal plates embedded with topaz's adorned his shins, as well as covering his scalp and running down along his spine. In addition he had a number of blue runic symbols running across his neck and shoulders, which glowed and hummed brightly, even during the day.

Flexing his great wings, Kalecgos leapt into the air and began to fly deeper into the Dragonshrine, the young Narygos close behind him. He could feel the air breeze past him as he flew, covering more ground in a minute then a Human could in an hour. Around him, other Blue Dragons went about their duties, whether it was patrolling they skies or other miscellaneous tasks. Eventually he came to the largest of the pools within the Dragonshrine, the centre of which was a small island with a large crystal orb in the centre, the Focusing Iris. It was with this item that the Aspect could observe the magical ley-lines of Remnant, and could both direct and control their flow. It had not been used since the betrayal of Deathwing, and had been gathering dust for the last thousand years or so, yet still looked as new as the day it was forged.

Near the lake, which was known as the Eye of Eternity, was a great cave, surrounded by a number of Dragons. This was the home of Malygos and his court, though only a small number of Dragons actually came in and out of the cave complex now that Malygos' condition was worsening. Kalecgos landed at the mouth of the cave, one of the Drakes that had been guarding the cave quickly flying towards the Dragon and his escort.

"Lord Kalecgos...you're late as usual..." the Drake stated matter of factly, the annoyance in her tone not lost on Kalecgos. "Lord Senegos is waiting for you inside, I wouldn't keep him waiting for much longer if I were you..."

"Of course Stellagosa." Kalecgos responded, nodding his head before turning to Narygos. "Wait here until I return, unless you have any other duties that need tending to."

"As you wish, my Lord." Narygos bowed, lowering his head with the proper respect before rising again.

Satisfied, Kalecgos turned to walk towards the cave entrance, the Dragons guarding it parting as the Blue Dragon approached. The soft earth soon turned to hard stone as the darkness of the cave surrounded him, the only rays of light emanating from the crystals that sprouted from the cave walls. Eventually, he came to an open space, a small pool of arcane magic secluded in a small corner of the cave, a large elderly Dragon sat at its edge.

The older Dragons scales were a deep blue, though many were dull and cracked, the membrane between his wings now tattered and torn. Runes covered his arms and legs, though they did not glow with the potency of youth as they had before. Great crystal like horns sprouted from his head, much like Kalecgos' own, though they were much larger and were dulled at the tips, much like his teeth that sprouted from his mouth. To add to his elderly visage was a mane of cream white fur that hung loosely around his head and ran down his neck. Yet despite the Dragons seemingly frail appearance, he was strong and muscular, and showed no sign of wearing down any sooner. This was Senegos, chief advisor to the Aspect and perhaps one of the oldest Dragons alive, second only to the Aspects themselves.

"Lord Senegos," Kalecgos announced, causing the elder Dragon to swivel his head around to meet his gaze. "You requested my presence?"

"Kalec, right on time as usual." the elderly Dragon responded, his lips curling into a small smile.

"Forgive me, but your grand-daughter told me I was late." Kalecgos stated, raising his brow as he recalled the conversation he had with Stellagosa outside the cave entrance.

"Yes, apologies about my little Starlight." Senegos apologised, referring to the Drake by her nickname. "Though I must admit, the topic of our discussion is indeed rather serious."

"Has someone else decided to challenge Arygos for the title of Spellweaver?" Kalecgos asked, half hopeful that his words were true. Senegos instead shook his head, causing Kalecgos to let out a sigh of disappointment.

"I'm afraid Arygos still remains uncontested to his fathers title." Senegos explained sadly before letting out a deep sigh as he lowered his head. "If only Kirygosa were still here, she would have been a far more popular candidate to challenge her Brother..."

Kalecgos nodded silently at the mention of the Dragons name. Like Arygos, Kirygosa was one of the last Scions of Malygos, and possessed the more admirable qualities of her father. Kind, intelligent, strong and most importantly to Kalecgos at least, had a sense of humour. Before the Aspects madness, Malygos was known to have a jovial sense of humour, something his son seemed to lack. Kirygosa had always joked that if she were to become Aspect, her first action would be to relocate the Flight to somewhere warmer. It was unquestionable that if she were to step forward to claim the title of Spellweaver, she would be hailed as the new Aspect without a doubt.

Which made her disappearance all the more tragic. Some months ago, Kirygosa and her mother, the Prime Consort Saragosa, along with a contingent of other Dragons had gone on a hunting trip and never returned. When scouts set off to find them, they found the signs of a bloody ambush, Saragosa and her entourage all brutally butchered. There were no signs of Kirygosa, but with how badly mutilated all the Dragons were it was impossible to identify her, and it became common consensus that she was amongst the dead. Perhaps more tragic though was that the fact that Kirygosa had been pregnant with her first clutch of eggs, her death putting a devastating dent in their already small numbers.

"Perhaps you should challenge Arygos to claim the title of Aspect." Kalecgos suggested, causing the elder Dragon to look up at him. "You command a great deal of respect amongst many of our Flight, and your wisdom is second only to Malygos himself."

"You flatter me Kalec, but I cannot take up the mantle of Aspect." Senegos reasoned, letting out a hearty chuckle as Kalecgos tilted his head questioningly. "I may not look it, but I am old. My strength is not what it used to be. All we would be doing is replacing one old Dragon with another, it would only delay the need for another Aspect for a short while."

"Well for what it's worth, you could have fooled me." Kalecgos joked, his lips curling into a friendly smile.

Senegos began to laugh loudly, Kalecgos joining in as their laughter echoed loudly throughout the cave. With a sigh, the two Dragons ceased before Senegos' face took on a more serious visage, signalling that he wished to return to their discussion.

"As urgent as the matter of the next Aspect is, it is not the reason I summoned you here Kalec." Senegos explained, causing the younger Dragon to take a tentative step towards the old Dragon.

"What is it?" Kalecgos asked, sensing the worry in the Dragons tone.

"I fear that the treacherous Black Dragonflight is preparing to strike at the mortal kingdoms." Senegos replied, taking a step towards the small pool within the corner of the cave, Kalecgos following him closely. "We may have slipped into the legends of Human history, but it is still our charge to protect them."

"Do you know when they will strike?" Kalecgos asked, stopping at the edge of the small basin of water next to Senegos.

"No, nor do I know how." Senegos sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. "The pools have been...reluctant to share their wisdom as of late. No doubt they still reel from the chaos of the Shattering."

"Do you know anything else?" Kalecgos asked quietly, trying not to sound frustrated at the lack of information.

"All I know is that an agent of theirs is within the city of Atlas." Senegos explained, dipping a claw into the pool of water. As soon as the tip touched the surface of the water, it began to ripple as the arcane energies began to shimmer and spin like a small maelstrom before stilling. Upon the surface of the water was the human kingdom of Atlas, its towers reaching high into the sky, the most prominent structure in the image being a large manor that look as though it could dwarf the Dragonshrine itself.

"I know that building..." Kalecgos murmured, staying silent for a second to ensure his assumption was correct. "That's the Schnee Manor, heart of the Dust trade in Atlas. Is the agent of the Black Dragonflight their?"

"As far as I can discern, yes." Senegos answered as the image began to shimmer into something else. "No doubt they wish to use the company for their own ends. For what reason I do not know, all I know though is that this one will be imperative to learning the truth..."

As Senegos spoke, the pool stopped shifting and stilled, on their surface now the face of a young Human female, her fair skin marred only by a scar across her left eye, and her long silver hair tied into a ponytail.

"Who...is that?" Kalecgos asked, lost for words as he stared at the image of the young woman in confusion before it shimmered away into nothingness.

"I do not know." Senegos responded. "Nor do I know if she will be an ally or an enemy, only that she is the key to finding out the plans of the Black Dragonflight."

"When do I leave?" Kalecgos asked, turning to face Senegos as he spoke.

"Immediately. We cannot wait about for the Black Dragonflight to strike, and the city of Atlas is a long way away." Senegos answered, Kalecgos nodding as he turned to leave.

"I will not fail you, Senegos." Kalecgos responded as he began to make his way towards the entrance of the cave.

"Don't worry about failing me! Worry about failing the Flight!" Senegos shouted back, laughing heartily as Kalecgos rolled his eyes in response.

Soon the light of day entered his vision once more, taking a deep breath as he inhaled the fresh air once more. Turning, he saw Narygos talking with one of the other Drakes, their voices quiet so no eavesdropper could hear. Upon spotting Kalecgos, Narygos murmured a farewell before turning to leave, the other Drake returning to whatever duties it had been in the middle of doing.

"Any news, my Lord?" Narygos asked, looking up to Kalecgos as he spoke.

"We're leaving the shrine." Kalecgos simply responded, Narygos recoiling his head slightly as he blinked in surprise. "I'll explain more on the way. If you have anything that needs doing here in the shrine, any tasks you have neglected, do them now. Once you're finished, meet me at the southern border."

"At once, my Lord." Narygos responded, trying his best to hide the confusion in his voice.

Without another word, Narygos leaping into the air and turning to head to his roost within the shrine. As he flew, his mind began to wander as to what exactly Kalecgos had planned for the both of them. Regardless of the reason for their sudden journey, he couldn't help but feel excited as well as nervous.

 **00000000**

Weiss watched with a neutral look on her face as airships belonging to the Atlesian Armed Forces flew by, their engines leaving a trail of white smoke, marring the otherwise clear sky. Further out, another airship drifted by lazily, no doubt on patrol. Atlas had a history of Military might throughout the years. After the Mantle Empire was dissolved, Atlas was the first to build a standing Army, due to the large number of former military officers that made up the government of the fledgling Kingdom. The sight of Atlesian airships patrolling the air and the legions of Soldiers patrolling the streets was nothing new to the public. Weiss herself had been used to the sight of them, but now she was back, she felt like a foreigner.

Months spent in another Kingdom had made her aware of how tight a grip the military actually had on the Kingdom. It was all for their own safety of course, but it was still a shock to her system nonetheless. In fact, the military presence in general was double what it once was. Was this General Ironwoods response to the White Fangs attack on Vale? Or was it in response to the Black Dragon that tore open the world and went on a rampage through Beacon Academy before leaving? Perhaps the answer was both. Though even with the increased military presence, made most apparent by the fleet of cruisers that had formed a blockade around the kingdom, she didn't feel any safer. In fact, she felt like a prisoner.

Her train of thought was suddenly interrupted by the rapping of knuckles on her door, causing her to turn her head slightly in acknowledgement.

"Yes?" Weiss asked, the sound of the door opening echoing loudly in her spacious room.

As the door opened, a short partially overweight man stepped into the room, dressed in the attire of the staff of the Schnee residence. His brown hair was beginning to fall out, leaving his scalp bald, and a large moustache covered the entirety of his upper lip. As he stepped partially into the room, he lowered his head as a sign of respect before speaking.

"Pardon the interruption, Miss Schnee, but your father wishes to speak to you." the Butler said, Weiss sighing sadly as she nodded her head in understanding, turning to face the window one last time before standing.

"Thank you, Klein." Weiss said, turning to leave as the Butler, Klein, bowed his head once more, waiting for the young Heiress to leave the room before closing the door behind her.

"I believe your father is in his Study, Miss Schnee." Klein informed her, pointing down the hallway as he spoke.

"Thank you, Klein. That will be all." Weiss thanked, Klein nodding his head before turning to leave, no doubt to tend to other duties.

With a sigh, she bowed her head low, slowly making her way towards her fathers study. Not once did she raise her head as she walked through the endless corridors, stopping only as she passed an ornate painting of the old War Hero Anduin Lothar, Lion of Mantle. Weiss remembered with a sad smile on her face as she used to pretend to fight in front of the painting, the tales of the legendary warrior nobleman that Klein told her as a child igniting the fire that would drive her to become a Huntress. Turning away from the painting, she continued to make her way towards her fathers study, her head bowed low once again.

"Good afternoon, sister."

Weiss froze at the voice and looked up with a startled look on her face. Standing in front of her was a young boy, slightly younger than herself, dressed in a smart formal attire. Like her, his hair was silver, though it was short and combed to the side.

"A pleasure to see you out of your room for a change." he continued, bowing slightly as he did.

Weiss sidestepped him, keeping her eyes on her as he turned to meet her gaze with one of his own.

"Hello, Whitley." Weiss responded dryly, trying to hide the contempt in her tone. "You're in a cheery mood today."

"Klein made crepes for breakfast." the boy, Whitley, responded matter of factly, though the smirk on his face was poorly hidden, indicating another reason.

"What do you want?" Weiss asked, going straight to the point with the leech that was her brother.

"I heard father was shouting with someone in his study earlier." Whitley responded, causing Weiss to roll her eyes.

"Mother?"

"No, she's already drinking in the garden." Whitley responded, holding a hand to his chin as he mulled over the details in his head. "I think it was a man."

Weiss looked up this, genuinely curious as to the identity of the individual arguing with her father. After mulling over the list of potential candidates, she deduced it was more then likely some poor subordinate who couldn't fight back.

"I just wanted to warn you." Whitley spoke up, interrupting Weiss' train of thought, his voice filled with fake concern. "I heard he had asked to speak with you."

"I'll be fine." Weiss replied, causing Whitley to laugh slightly to himself in response.

"I know you will." Whitley replied as he held his hand out to Weiss. "You are strong, like Winter is...or, was at least."

Weiss flinched at the use of the past tense Whitley used to refer to Winter, her older sister. Some months ago, Winter had been sent north deep into Solitas with a squad of soldiers. Some weeks ago, one of them returned, claiming that they had been ambushed by Twilight's Hammer and that he'd barely escaped with his own life. A search team was sent out to find Winter, but after days of searching she was declared MIA, possibly KIA.

"You never did like Winter, did you." Weiss stated matter of factly, causing the younger Schnee to shrug his shoulders.

"True, but you couldn't deny her resolve." Whitley replied, causing Weiss to look at him questioningly as she saw his face fall slightly.

"You...seem different." Weiss said, her eyes narrowed slightly as her brother shrugged at her claim in response.

"And you've been gone." Whitley argued as he began to step back from his sister. "I'll have you know I didn't stop growing while you were away at Beacon."

As he finished his sentence, Whitley turned to walk away, his own footsteps thudding softly on the floor as he did so.

"Anyway, good luck with father!" Whitley shouted back without looking, before turning into one of the many doorways that dotted the corridor.

Weiss narrowed her eyes as she watched her brother leave, making a mental note to keep a close eye on him. She continued to make her way through the sprawling corridors until at last she made it to the outside of her fathers study, where she could hear two muffled voices in a heated debate. That meant it was probably not some poor servant, but someone important. Curiosity getting the better of her, she slowly opened the door, peering inside before stepping through. Her father, Jacques Schnee, was sat at his desk, an empty glass in his hand and his face red with rage. Sat in front of him was a man in military attire, a man Weiss immediately recognised as General Ironwood.

"Jacques, will you please, just hear me out?" Ironwood pleaded, causing the man in question to angrily slam his glass down on the table.

"You are a trusted friend and ally to this family, James, but what you're suggesting is absurd!" Jacques stated matter of factly, causing the General to sigh in frustration.

"You are blowing it out of proportion."

"The council will never agree to it!"

"You forget, I hold _two seats_ on the council."

"Your Dust embargo has already cost me _millions!_ I can promise you, I have not forgotten!"

"So this is about _you._ "

So entranced in the conversation, Weiss had let her grip on the door slip, causing it to slam shut loudly, startling her and the other two occupants of the room. Weiss then turned awkwardly towards the two gentlemen, Ironwood standing up quickly and bowing in respect towards Weiss.

"Miss Schnee! My apologies. I should have been gone by now." the military General apologised, causing Weiss to blink in surprise before regaining her senses.

"It-it's okay." Weiss reassured, the General nodding slightly in response before turning to face Jacques.

"We'll continue this at another time." Ironwood stated, to which Jacques nodded in response.

"Indeed." Jacques concurred. "Klein can show you out."

"Don't worry, I know the way. Until next time, Jacques." Ironwood replied, Jacques nodding his head in response as the General turned to leave, stopping to turn towards Weiss.

"Please know, we haven't given up on finding Winter, Miss Schnee." Ironwood reassured Weiss, moving his hand to place it reassuringly on her shoulder, only to think better of it and retract it. With that he turned to leave, the door closing loudly behind him.

Weiss then turned to face her father, half expecting him to reprimand her for her poor manners, though was surprised to see he had a tired look on his face as he let out a frustrated sigh.

"Can you believe there are still people in the world that blame Atlas for what happened to Beacon? To Vale?" Jacques asked, his tone filled with bitterness as he shook his head. "Those Twilight Cultists are only making things worse for us, claiming that Dragon was sent from the earth to 'punish us for our sins'. I mean, can you believe such nonsense?! It's a wonder Ironwood wasn't stripped of his rank and discharged!"

"The council trusts him, father. As do I." Weiss stated matter of factly. Like her, Ironwood was there at Vale when it was attacked, helping fight off the White Fang and Grimm, and aiding in rescuing survivors when the Dragon attacked the school. Her answer didn't seem to please her father, who sighed loudly as he raised his head to face her.

"Thanks to him, Atlas is forbidden from exporting Dust to other Kingdoms." Jacques said exasperatedly before donning a mocking tone. "'A precautionary measure,' as he puts it, 'until we are certain no one is going to declare war'. How anyone could possibly find that to be sound logic is beyond me...which is why the Schnee Dust Company will be holding a charity concert in the coming weeks."

Weiss blinked in surprise, wondering if perhaps she had misheard her father. The words 'Schnee Dust Company' and 'charity concert' were rarely spoken in the same sentence. She waited with abated breath for her father to continue before she got her hopes up that her father was actually being charitable.

"We need to show the people of Remnant that we are on their side. That we are all victims of the fall of Beacon." Jacques continued, Weiss' hopes rising higher as he spoke.

"That's...wonderful news." Weiss said, a smile spreading across her face. Sure, the reasons for holding the concert were possibly selfish, but for the right reasons.

"I know." Jacques chuckled mirthfully, before his gaze fixated on Weiss. "And I think it would make a lot of people happy if you _performed_ at the event."

Weiss' heart fell at her fathers words, made more apparent by the shocked and disappointed look on her face.

"Excuse me?"

"Many forget that you were there. My own daughter, a Schnee, on the grounds, defending another Kingdom." Jacques replied. "We need to remind them! And we need to show them that the Schnee family is just as strong as ever!"

So this was the reason for the charity event. Not a way to show, that Atlas was doing what little it could to support a fellow Kingdom, but a purely selfish act to make the Schnee name heard loud and clear now that Dust export was forbidden.

"Are you asking me if I'd like to sing, or telling me?" Weiss asked, already knowing the answer deep down.

Before Jacques could answer, there was a knock on the door, causing both to turn and face it. When neither spoke, there was another knock, as Jacques let out a tired sigh before speaking.

"Enter."

The door slowly opened, and in stepped a woman, no older then Winter. Her skin was pale, and she wore a sleeveless red dress that did little to hide her breasts, which were barely covered by the purple waistcoat she wore on top. One side of her dress was opened, showing one of her leg which was partially covered by a black silk stocking, black high heels on her feet. Her ebony hair draped down past her shoulders, not hiding her undeniably beautiful face, lit up by her lilac eyes.

"I'm sorry, Jacques, am I...interrupting something?" the woman asked, her voice so silky and smooth it made Weiss shudder internally in disgust.

"Of course not," Jacques responded quickly, a smile spreading across his face as he gestured towards the woman. "Weiss, meet Lady Katrana Prestor. She's been an honoured guest in this household for the past few months...not that you would have noticed."

"So this is the young Heiress?" the woman, Katrana, asked, turning towards Weiss with a fake smile as she performed a short curtsey, lowering her head as a sign of respect. "It's such an honour to finally meet you. Whitley has told me so much about you, as did your sister during the time I knew her."

"Yes, as a matter of speaking, my daughter and I were just discussing the charity concert that you suggested we hold not so long ago." Jacques said, turning to face Weiss as he spoke. "Isn't that right?"

"I-...I'll start practising, father." Weiss slowly answered, lowering her head in submission.

"That's my girl..." Jacques chuckled slightly before turning to Katrana. "Now, to what do I owe the pleasure, Lady Prestor."

"I've come to discuss a matter best discussed in private," Katrana responded, turning to face Weiss as she finished. "No offence intended."

"Of course," Jacques said, quickly waving Weiss away without even looking. "Weiss, please leave us."

"Of course, father." Weiss said, turning to leave her fathers study, the sound of muted conversation echoing behind her.

As she left, the door was suddenly and sharply shut, causing her to turn around with a startled expression, freezing at the two individuals before her. Both of them were adorned head to toe in black and red armour, not even an ounce of flesh visible. Both had large swords strapped to their backs, their arms folded over their chests, their gaze focused on the young Heiress. Weiss began to walk away, the gaze of the two knights never leaving her even as she turned around. As Weiss retreated towards her quarters, she couldn't help but feel as though something was going to happen soon.

Something terrible.

 **00000000**

 **And that's the start of the new story under way. Not all chapters will be as long as this one unfortunately, and I will have a cover for the story soon, so don't worry. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either leave in your review or PM me privately. Next update will be April 21st.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	2. The Ascendant

**Hello everyone. A lot has been going on since I last uploaded, such as the fact that I am now in the BfA Alpha! But enough about that, let's get to review responses. TheFelRoseOfTerror; what? Who...who said anything about Onyxia? Shadowwolf1997; glad you liked it, hope this chapter also pleases you. Guest; glad you thought so. And now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 2- The Ascendant**

Kelris let out a sigh of relief as he leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet up onto the desk in front of him, scattering the stacks of paper that had been left there. He shivered slightly as the now airborne notes caused a swift breeze that reminded him of the chill of Solitas, before the warmth of the room settled in again. He had been stationed at this backwater part of the world to watch over both the Kingdom of Atlas and the Blue Dragonflight. At least that was what he was meant to be doing. One of the few benefits of being in a place so far out was that higher ranking members of the Cult barely stuck their nose in his business. As long as he said things were going well, they let him be. As far as the higher ups were concerned, everything was peachy at Doom's Vigil.

Kelris chuckled to himself at the name of the outpost. It was an appropriate name, he thought. It was one of the farthest outposts away from Blackwing Lair, which was originally constructed as a scouting outpost, before it grew in size once its true potential had been realised. Kelris had been put in charge, and as far as he was concerned, they were on schedule. Not the Cult's schedule to be fair, but his schedule.

The excavations in the cliffs to their back was proceeding. Slowly, but still going. And he had also taken care of the nosey Atlesian Specialist that was getting a bit too close to their spy in Atlas. Well, he assumed they had. The team he had sent out to assassinate her never did return, though the spy had not been discovered so he assumed that she had been dealt with accordingly. Really, the only he could say the Cult would be happy about was the status of their prisoner, who was still alive and of use to them.

As he began to drift off into a deep sleep, a sudden noise began to disturb him, the noise getting louder and louder the harder he tried to ignore it. With a growl he swivelled around in his chair, standing up and marching towards the window, which gave a wide overlook of the outpost. Out at the entrance of the camp, a large crowd was gathered, which just so happened to be the source of the noise.

"What the..." Kelris mumbled to himself, growling in irritation as he turned swiftly to the cloak rack, plucking his fur lined cloak off its perch and wrapping it tightly around his body like a cocoon. Securing the cloak, he reached down and grabbed his sword, fastening it onto his belt, tugging it slightly to make sure it was secure.

He headed towards the door, quickly opening it and slowly trotting down the stairs, cursing to himself under his breath at the disturbance. As he reached the bottom, he swiftly opened the door, rewarded immediately by a blast of snow. He recoiled as the flakes of snow stung his face, causing him to grumble to himself as he swung his hands out in front of him, as if trying to carve a path through the blizzard. As he looked to the sky, he saw it was clogged with dark clouds and snow, shortening his site to just a few feet in front of him. The Twilight Elementalists had promised him that today would be clear blue skies, not a damned blinding blizzard!

He began to trudge through the snow, his feet sinking with every step he took. He continued to grumble and growl to himself as he finally caught site of the gathering crowd, not a single one of them turning to face him.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Kelris roared, the crowd immediately turning towards him and parting. "Why aren't you at your-"

He froze immediately as a dread sensation crept up on him as he laid eyes on the two figures in front of him. One of them covered only by two folds of purple leather, one draped around their shoulders to form a hood whilst the other covered his legs. Black Elementium also covered his forearms and shins, with a belt bearing the symbol of the Twilight's Hammer that wrapped itself around his waist. Such clothing would have been suicidal had anyone else been wearing that attire, but upon closer inspection, he quickly realised that the man's flesh was ice, an Ascendant he assumed.

Next to the man was another, adorned in black hooded robes that hid his features, and his arms and legs protected by silver armour. In his hands was a staff, the end of which was a Dragons skull, and on his belt hung a hammer, its head crackling with void energy, which danced across the Elementium framework of the weapon. And it was he who Kelris was truly worried by, as he almost immediately dropped to his knees and averted his gaze.

"Twilight Father!" Kelris hurriedly said as his anger at being disturbed was immediately replaced by fear. "I did not know you were coming. Had you sent word, I would have-"

"Quiet!" the Twilight Father snapped, causing Kelris to flinch as he warily began to stand up, cowering. "It would seem you have a lot of explaining to do, Kelris."

"My Lord, as I have said in my reports, we are ahead of the schedule with regards to the excavation." Kelris meekly replied, his voice shaking slightly. "Lord Deathwing will have his prize soon enough, I promise."

"Is that so?" the Twilight Father hissed quietly, causing Kelris to wince slightly. "Because I've heard quite the opposite, and in reality you are BEHIND schedule."

"My Lord, I can assure you that these false accusations are just that, false accusations." Kelris defended, looking up to the Twilight Father with a nervous smile.

"Really?" the Twilight Father asked, his voice filled to the brim with sarcasm. "Well if that's the case, then please show us the reports written up by your foremen detailing the progress. Or better yet, show us the excavation site in person. After all, it would be much better to see the progress with my own eyes, rather than going by the word of some report, wouldn't you agree?"

"Absolutely oh Great One," Kelris chuckled nervously, licking his dry lips quickly before continuing. "Which is why I would love to show you the excavation site, but these adverse weather conditions would make such a thing perilous for one of your standing."

As Kelris finished his excuse, the Ascendant raised his hand and snapped his claw like fingers together. Almost immediately the blizzard around the camp disappeared, revealing the clear blue skies that the local Elementalists had predicted. Kelris gulped loudly as the Twilight Father and the Cultists around him slowly looked around, some of them even pulling down the face scarves they had been wearing to keep their heads protected.

"The weather doesn't seem so bad now, does it Kelris?" the Twilight father said matter of factly, turning to face Kelris as he spoke.

"Father, I can assure you, you don't need to see the excavation site." Kelris stuttered, taking a step back as he spoke. "Perhaps I may have...over exaggerated the progress of the excavation in my reports, but we will have it unveiled in time, I assure you."

"But that is the problem, for we are running out of time." the Twilight Father growled as he took a menacing step forward towards Kelris, who visibly shrank back. "Our informant has told me that just two days ago, a pair of Blue Dragons left the Dragonshrine and are headed towards Atlas as we speak to investigate our presence in the Kingdom!"

"You...are certain?" Kelris quietly asked, his voice nothing more but a whisper.

"Of course, you would have known such a thing if your scouts had been watching the Dragonshrine as instructed instead of wasting precious time and resources sending them into ancient crypts and tombs to make yourself a small profit!"

Kelris' eyes went wide as the Twilight Father said his accusations. Kelris had indeed been sending the scouts out to the local tombs to gather treasure and relics instead of on scouting missions as he said he had in the reports. How did the Twilight Father know then? He must have been betrayed from within, that was the only thing he could think of.

"You have failed your brothers and sisters Kelris." the Twilight Father continued, Kelris' eyes going wide in panic as he spoke. "You have proven yourself unworthy of your title and rank, and are hereby relieved of command."

"Please, Father! Have mercy!" Kelris begged, dropping to his knees in the process. "Allow me to prove myself!"

"Mercy? Mercy is for the weak." the Twilight Father growled quietly, his voice filled with disgust. "Only the strongest deserve to stand with us, and you have been found lacking." The Twilight Father then turned his head towards the Ascendant, who locked his gaze with that of his own. "Arcurion! Do the honours..."

"With pleasure, Father." the ice Ascendant responded, taking a step forward as a pair of icy blades materialised in his hands, Kelris stumbling as he stepped back from the Ascendant.

"Consider this your chance to prove yourself worthy of your mantle, Kelris." the Twilight Father began, Kelris turning to face him, confused. "Kill him, and you get to keep your head."

Kelris gulped loudly as the ice Ascendant, Arcurion, stopped in his tracks, his blue eyes boring into Kelris. He couldn't defeat him by himself, of that much he was certain. But he didn't intend to.

"Twilight's Hammer!" Kelris shouted, many of the Cultists turning towards him as he pointed at Arcurion. "Kill this pretender in my name!"

Kelris' heart faltered slightly when not a single Cultist moved to intercept the ice Ascendant, who scanned the gathered crowd, almost as if daring them to attack him. It was then that Kelris felt a surge of hope fill him as he heard the unmistakeable sound of blades being drawn as a small cluster of Cultists filled the gap between him and Arcurion.

Two of them charged the ice Ascendant, their blades held high over their heads as they swung to bring them down. Arcurion quickly parried both strikes before batting the swords to the side and piercing the two Cultists in the stomach, causing them to cry out in pain as the tips of the icy blades protruded from their backs. Kelris half expected that when the blades were pulled free, a fountain of blood would surge from the open wounds. Yet when Arcurion did indeed pull the blades free, Kelris was confused at the lack of it, before seeing that the wounds and the flesh around them had been frozen solid.

Arcurion moved forward unabated, before he threw his two blades forward like throwing knives, the icy blades impaling two more Cultists, who fell to earth without so much as a sound. Many of the Cultists immediately backed away into the crowd, sheathing their weapons as they did so, leaving only two standing. The two Cultists looked at one another and nodded, one of them charging from the left whilst the other charged from the right, swinging their swords at the ice Ascendant.

Yet as soon as their steel blades struck Arcurion, they shattered, leaving only their hilts untouched. Before the two Cultists could even react to the destruction of their blades, Arcurion grabbed them by the back of their heads, which was quickly covered by a sheen of ice, freezing their heads, their faces contorted into expressions of horror and pain. Then, he flung the two heads together, the heads quickly shattering into small cubes of red ice, some of which had pieces of bone and brain matter sticking out of it.

Kelris began to panic as the two headless corpse fell over, his last line of defence. Looking around in a panicked state as he looked to the Cultists to defend him, yet none moved to do so. Slowly drawing his sword, he lunged out at the Ascendant with a yell, his going wide with panic as he simply caught the blade in his hand, already the metal freezing. With a twist of his wrist, Arcurion snapped the blade in half, Kelris staggering back as he looked at his now useless weapon, quickly dropping it in the snow.

"Sword!" he quickly cried out, turning towards the Cultists who had previously stood with him. "Give me your swords!"

"Stay your hands!" a gruff voice commanded, Kelris' eyes growing wide in anger as he recognised the voice.

Turning, he saw a large burly Warthog Faunus with a Pike in his hands glaring at the Cultists through his helmet, those who met his gaze quickly shrinking back. Executioner Gore had always been a critic of his methods, no doubt he was the one who had sold him out to the Twilight Father in the first place. It was then that he heard the clattering of ice as he turned to face Arcurion again, who was now wielding a Hammer made of ice, which was raised over his head.

Before Kelris could react, Arcurion swung at Kelris' legs, sweeping him of his feet and onto the floor. Kelris screamed in pain as he looked down at his now shattered legs, the surrounding snow tinted a deep red as he fumbled to grasp at his now useless limbs. Arcurion tossed the Hammer aside, the weapon shattering as it hit the ground and grabbed Arcurion by his wrist, freezing it immediately and snapping it off, causing him to scream yet again in pain.

"Please, Father!" Kelris begged, tears streaming down his face as he looked towards the Twilight Father. "I beg of you, have mercy!"

"Arcurion." the Twilight Father said, causing the ice Ascendant to pause and turn towards him. "Finish him."

Before Kelris could speak out, Arcurion grabbed him by the throat, silencing him immediately as he tightened his grip on his neck, freezing it. Then, without so much as a single ounce of effort, Arcurion snapped the head off, raising it high above his own head for all to see. The headless body of Kelris swayed slightly before falling back, Arcurion tossing the head carelessly to the side.

"Gore, step forward." the Twilight Father commanded, the warthog Faunus quickly stepping forward and kneeling before the Twilight Father. "You have my thanks for informing me about this situation. You are indeed worthy of your title."

"I would rather die then fail my charge, Father." Gore proclaimed, never once looking up to face the Twilight Father.

"Indeed, which is why you would make an admirable replacement to watch over this outpost." the Twilight Father proposed. "Put us back on schedule, and the Twilight's Hammer will reward you greatly."

"As you command, Father." Gore replied, standing up swiftly and saluting the Twilight Father, before turning to face the crowd of Cultists. "Don't just stand there you fools! Back to work, on the double! We need to be back on schedule yesterday! Move it!"

At once the Cultists went to work, going back to their duties whilst Gore retreated to the Command Chamber, carelessly punting Kelris' severed head along the way. The Twilight Father watched with content as the Cultists worked, Arcurion moving to stand next to him.

"Arcurion, stay here and keep an eye on things." the Twilight Father ordered. "I have no doubt that Gore will keep a tight leash on Doom's Vigil, but ensure that he stays the course. I'd hate to have to dispose of yet another Commander."

"Your will be done, Father." Arcurion responded, nodding his head as he turned to face the Twilight Father. "You will be leaving soon?"

"Yes, I still have business that needs tending to in Atlas." the Twilight Father responded. "Once I have finished, I will return to Blackwing Lair to make final preparations. Join me there once our work here is done. Soon, all of Atlas will burn in righteous fire, as will the rest of this pitiful world..."

 **00000000**

Kalecgos continued to fly high in the night sky, the wind blowing wildly in his face as he flew. Looking to his right he saw Narygos not far behind, the young Drake seemingly enjoying himself as they flew into the heart of Atlas. The Kingdom had indeed changed much since he was last here, with a much stronger military presence. Frigates and Cruisers filled the sky, whilst gunships flew closer to the ground, their searchlights scanning the ground below. They would have to be careful with such a strong airborne presence. Whilst their magic shielded them and made them invisible to both scanners and the naked eye, they couldn't take the risk of being spotted.

"Over there my Lord!" Narygos suddenly shouted, Kalecgos swivelling his head in the direction Narygos was looking.

Up ahead, standing high above the rest of the Kingdom was the Schnee Manor, its white walls blending in with the snow around it, with some small flakes dancing in the air. Just outside the entrance were a throng of people making their way inside, all of them dressed in fine evening wear.

"Looks like they're having a celebration of some form." Narygos muttered as he circled the manor overhead. "That complicates things."

"On the contrary, it gives us an opportunity." Kalecgos corrected, nodding his head towards the ground. "Follow me."

Kalecgos swiftly descended into a nose dive, followed by Narygos. The two Dragons then headed to a secluded section on the gardens, landing softly in the large open space. Looking around to make sure they weren't being watched, the two Dragons then let the magic hiding them disperse, allowing themselves to be seen once more by mortal eyes.

"What's our plan?" Narygos asked, swivelling his head upwards to look at the older Dragon.

"We'll sneak into the manor and blend in with the crowd." Kalecgos responded, narrowing his eyes as he scanned for potential entrance. "This will merely be a Recon mission. We'll gather as much intel as possible and return to the Dragonshrine."

"And how exactly will we enter?" Narygos asked, clearly confused. "We'll stick out like a sore thumb in there, even if we shroud ourselves in magic."

"That's because we won't go in like this." Kalecgos responded, to which the Drake tilted his head slightly in confusion.

Seconds later, Kalecgos' form began to shimmer as he shrunk in size, a blinding white light covering his entire form as he shifted into a human form. Now where the Blue Dragon had been standing was a well built man with shoulder length blue hair and purple eyes. He wore a blue longcoat, with a brown waistcoat and white shirt combo underneath, a blue tie fastened to his neck. Brown trousers covered his legs, along with a pair of blue boots that folded over at the knees. Blue fingerless gloves covered his hands, and a silver broach embedded with sapphires was clipped to his coat.

"You look hideous." Narygos commented.

"What?" Kalecgos asked, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "It's the same form I've adopted the last few times I've been here, and everyone always seemed to say I looked handsome back then."

"You look like a Human. What is there to like?" Narygos asked, Kalecgos sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Let me guess? You don't want to go inside, do you?" Kalecgos stated more then asked, already knowing his response.

"Took the words right out of my mouth, my Lord." Narygos responded, causing Kalecgos to sigh in exasperation as he shook his head.

"Very well then. I'll go inside and do the reconnaissance, whilst you stay out here and keep an eye out for anything shady looking." Kalecgos suggested, to which the Blue Drake nodded his head almost immediately.

"As you wish, my Lord." Narygos responded, backing away into the shadows as a sheet of magic covered him, rendering him invisible to mortal eyes.

Turning around, Kalecgos readjusted the tie around his neck, before making his way towards the back of the manor, hoping to find a way in. Regardless of what happened here, he had a feeling tonight would be a night to remember…

 **00000000**

 **And done. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review, and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either leave in your review or PM me directly. Next update will be May 5th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	3. Tipping Point

**Hello everyone. Another day, another chapter. Hope you're all enjoying yourselves so far this Year, but now, onto review responses. Shadowwolf1997; glad you enjoyed it. And TheFelRoseOfTerror; the idea of Ascendant's was a cool one, even if they did go down too easy for my liking. And if you're thinking of having an Ascendant in your story, ask yourself this: will it fit in with the story smoothly? And as for Chromatus, whilst I don't want to spoil anything, I will confirm he won't be appearing. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 3- Tipping Point**

Night time during Atlas was considered a very tame time of day. Solitas' cold climate, combined with the drop in temperature when the Sun set, made night particularly inhospitable, even during summer. The only people who wandered the streets during those ungodly hours were businessmen working overtime, Military patrols, and the occasional vagrant who usually froze to death before morning came. So Atlas during the twilight hours was considered a quiet time under most circumstances. This was not most circumstances.

All over the city, the rich aristocratic elite were out in their finest clothes and fur lined coats. Some travelled alone, whilst others travelled in pairs or small groups, though they were all headed in one direction: Schnee Manor.

The massive Manor was not hard to find, being one of the largest structures in the Kingdom (and some would argue the world), and even those who didn't know the Manor's exact location knew it was located in Lothar square, opposite the grandiose statue of Anduin Lothar, Lion of Mantle, who Jacques Schnee boldly claimed was an ancient ancestor of his. A line of guests waited outside in the bitter cold, waiting for their turn to be ushered into the luxurious Manor. Nearly every room in the house was filled with guests, with some being forced to instead gather in the gardens surrounding the Schnee home. But only the elite of the elite were granted a place in the main ballroom, where Jacques and the rest of his family were waiting for them.

Weiss knew the drill, this wasn't the first time she had attended such a gathering, and she always did what her father had told her: just stand still and look pretty. She slowly looked around, her eyes scanning the crowds of people that were gathered here today. There were many her age, some of which were rather obviously checking her out. She shuddered slightly at the thought of them, quite easily guessing that many of them were imagining what she would look like out of her evening gown, a thought she didn't wish to entertain.

It wasn't that she was totally disinterested in finding someone, it was more that most of the people who tried to hit on her only cared about her name rather then her. There was Neptune, who she admittedly had a small crush on, and didn't seem that interested about her family name and was genuinely sweet...at times. Though now that she thought about it, the more she thought that he was more interested in socialising and flirting then spending time with her.

And then there was Jaune. Perhaps in hindsight, she shot him down a little too quickly, though he was certainly tenacious, and he did seem to not care about her wealth at all. He would always try and woo her over one way or another, whether it was simply trying to spend time alone with her or writing some elaborate song. Perhaps that was why she always shot him down, because he was like a puppy who constantly wanted attention.

Then of course, there was the...other one. The one who she might have actually been happy with. She sighed and shook her head as she tried to forget those memories, opting to instead focus on the conversation her father was having with a group of businessmen.

"That's precisely my point. We offer Faunus the exact same wages given to the rest of our mining staff. Their argument's completely invalid right out of the gate." Jacques defended to a grey haired woman in a green dress and a businessman wearing glasses. The woman nodded her head in agreement though the man didn't seem so convinced.

'And rightly so…' thought Weiss. What Jacques had said was true, that the Faunus were given the exact same wage as their Human counterparts, but they were paid at different intervals. Human employees were paid roughly 240 Lien a week whilst Faunus were given the exact same amount only monthly.

"Well, I think the bigger issue here is our society as a whole." the businessman retorted, raising the champagne in his hand slightly to take a small sip.

"Why, you mean Atlas?" Jacques scoffed, rolling his eyes as the businessman shrugged before continuing.

"Atlas, Mantle...You can't deny the economic disparity between the two." the businessman continued, the elderly woman turning to face him with a disgruntled look on her face.

"I mean, what exactly are you suggesting?" the woman demanded, causing the businessman to focus his attention on her.

"I'm just saying I don't think it's necessarily an issue of compensation as much as it is one of opportunity. It's no wonder many who flock to the Twilight's Hammer stem from the downtrodden."

Weiss was beginning to grow tired of this talk of Atlesian politics. The people of Atlas were set in their ways, and nothing, not even a Cult who was dead set on unleashing the apocalypse could force it to change. She turned her attention back to the guests. General Ironwood looked about as happy as she did currently, a tired and bored face marring his features. She saw Whitley off in the distance, talking with the guests. Or more accurately one guest in particular.

Stood in front of him was Lady Katrana Prestor, along with her two armoured bodyguards. The Lady herself was dressed in a maroon strapless dress, with a black corset that looked as though it was made of black scales. Her arms were covered by black laced fingerless gloves that stretched up past her elbows, held in place seemingly by a pair of golden bangles. Around her neck was a gold choker, laden with an amethyst, which connected to fan like cloth that spread out across the back of her head, her ebony hair spilling over her shoulders.

The two appeared to be in deep conversation, the Lady Prestor letting out a laugh as Whitley finished what he was saying. Had he been properly paying attention, he would have known that the laugh was 100% fake, even Weiss could tell that from this distance. She sighed in disgust before her attention was focused instead on the reason the charity event was held in the first place. Hung on a wall with a wall of red velvet rope barring it off, was a large painting of Beacon Academy and the Cross Continental Transmit tower, which was both on display and up for Auction. All proceeds generated by the painting or any of the other items up for sale would go to Vale, a very generous donation to be sure.

Which was why it disgusted her so much that not a single person was paying any heed to it. Her family had already made a sufficient amount of money just by selling tickets to the concert, but she knew they could do better then they had done. Even if one painting was bought, the money it would raise would help rebuild an entire block in Vale when combined with the money made from tickets. She moved to stand next to the painting, to better observe it, only to freeze when she felt a tight grip on her arm.

"Where are you going?" Jacques asked quietly, his attention entirely focused on Weiss as he ignored the conversation in front of him.

"I'm...just a little thirsty." Weiss quietly replied, knowing full well that her father was analysing her features to see if she was lying. Much to her relief, his gaze softened slightly as he relinquished his grip on her arm before turning his attention back to the conversation at hand.

Weiss sighed quietly to herself in relief as she moved towards the painting on display, earning a few glances from the guests. So focused on the painting, she didn't realise that she had walked into someone, staggering them slightly as Weiss' eyes went wide in recognition at the impact.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Weiss rather quickly apologised as the offended person turned to face her.

Rather then the angry and frustrated glare she expected to mar the man's face, she was instead greeted by a pair of kindly blue eyes on an ageing face. The man in question was clothed in a white and gold coat that looked an awful lot like a set of robes. His once thick black hair was both greying and balding, and the bushy moustache and beard that covered the lower half of his face was also streaked in grey.

"Please, no need to apologise my dear." the man softly replied, bowing his head slightly as he spoke. Weiss breathed a sigh of relief at the words, deciding it would be better to stay and chat with the man rather then just walk away.

"My apologies, sir, I didn't quite catch your name." Weiss said, leaning forward slightly as the man chuckled to himself slightly.

"Oh why of course. My apologies, Miss Schnee." the man laughed as he stood straighter and bowed his head. "Archbishop Benedictus of the Church of the Holy Light."

Weiss nodded her head in recognition of the religious branch. Whilst not many of Remnant's people had much stock in faith these days, there were still religious organisations that spanned the globe. The Church of the Holy Light was one such organisation, and was widely tolerated by many of its people, especially considering the alternate Church of Forgotten Shadows, which was considered to be more of a Cult then an actual Church.

"It is an honour to meet you, Archbishop." Weiss greeted, curtseying before the Archbishop who simply smiled and nodded in appreciation. "I must admit, I find it strange that you would be here mingling with the upper class."

"Indeed I am." Benedictus replied with a good natured chuckle. "I do feel like a fish out of water, I must admit. A sentiment I'm sure you agree with."

Weiss couldn't help but agree with the Archbishop's statement. Ever since she'd returned from Beacon, she felt...out of place. Like a piece in a jigsaw that just didn't fit. She returned her attention back to the Archbishop as he continued talking.

"The real reason I'm here is to gather sponsors for a charity effort in Vale. The Church has little funding to spare, and if I were to find any who would have the Lien to spare it would be the people gathered here." the Archbishop explained as he spread his arm out to the crowd around him. "Unfortunately they do not see the chaos before them, blinded by their own greed and ambition as always."

"So I'm aware..." Weiss concurred, a frown marring her features before an idea came to light. "Do you have a charter at all? Somewhere for volunteers to sign?"

"Why of course." the Archbishop replied, quickly tucking his arm into his coat and pulling out a Scroll. On it were a small list of names, each one with an amount of Lien written next to it, ranging from the generous to the petty.

Quickly taking the Scroll from the Archbishops hand, she began to write her name down as well as a rather generous amount of Lien. She handed the Scroll back to the Archbishop, who's eyes went wide as he counted the total number of digits.

"Why Miss Schnee, this is indeed a generous amount of money..." the Archbishop stuttered as he turned to look at the Heiress in shock. "Are you certain you can afford it?"

"Not on my own, but I'm sure my father won't mind a few million Lien go missing from his personal account." Weiss replied with a sly grin. The Archbishop nodded his head in understanding as a hearty smile spread across his face.

"Light be with you, Weiss Schnee, and know that you will be forever welcome in our sacred sanctum." the Archbishop replied with a bow as he turned to leave, no doubt in search of more donations.

Weiss smiled to herself at the personal victory before turning back towards the painting, her good mood fouled by the fact that still no one was paying any heed to the picture. Walking towards it, she stopped just a metre in front of the image, sighing loudly as she shook her head.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice behind her commented, causing her to turn slightly. "A shame no one seems at all interested in it."

She caught sight of the voices owner, quickly turning to face him fully. They were older then her, maybe about 30, with shoulder length blue hair and soft purple eyes. Their attire seemed to both compliment his hair colour and his muscular build, being a mix of high class society and outdoors wanderer. His face was admittedly handsome, but not her type to say the least, even if they were the same age.

"Not everyone..." Weiss quietly replied, causing the man to smile slightly as he held out his hand.

"Kalec, at your service." the man said, his hand still outstretched.

Rather then be rude, Weiss took the hand and shook it, noticing the strong grip almost immediately.

"So, are you buying it?" Kalec asked, gesturing to the painting in question.

"No, I don't think so." Weiss replied, levelling her gaze towards Kalec to see his response. "Will you?"

"As much as I would love too, I'm afraid I can't afford such a thing." Kalec sighed, focusing his gaze on the painting. "A shame too, it truly is beautiful..."

Weiss simply stared at Kalec, completely lost for words. The main ballroom was reserved for people who could afford paintings at this price. So either Kalec was telling the worst lie ever, or something else was at play with him.

"Ah Weiss, there you are." yet another voice announced, cutting off Weiss' train of thought as she turned to face it, this time being greeted by the sight of Lady Prestor and her guards, the formers gaze locked firmly on her. "I've been meaning to congratulate you on your performance earlier today, you truly have a marvellous-"

Prestor froze mid sentence as she suddenly noticed the blue haired Kalec stood next to her, her eyes narrowing and her smile stiffening slightly as she turned to face the stranger. Weiss also noticed Kalec's composure changed as well, looking as though he was subtly scrutinising Katrana's appearance, as if he were trying to find something at fault.

"And who might you be?" Prestor finally said, her tone hardening slightly as she turned her full attention on him.

"I'm afraid you probably won't know my name..." Kalec lied, rubbing the back of his head nervously as he spoke.

"Really? Because it sounds like you're an uninvited guest to me..." Prestor replied, turning to her two bodyguards as she finished. "Kalaran, Searinox, please remove this intruder from the Manor."

The two bodyguards moved to seize Kalec where he stood, only to freeze as Weiss stood between them and Kalec.

"His name is August Merigold, he was a friend of Winter and a guest of mine." Weiss quickly lied, causing the two bodyguards to turn back towards Prestor who raised an eyebrow in query.

"Well, Mister Merigold, it seems you were right after all." Prestor finally replied, snapping her fingers as she finished. Almost immediately the two guards stepped back immediately, causing Weiss to sigh quietly in relief. "In all the time I knew Winter, she never once mentioned you."

"Likewise, she never mentioned you." Kalec responded, noticing quite easily the scrutinising gaze of the noblewoman.

"Not even in passing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow slightly as Kalec shook his head in confirmation. What felt like minutes passed until at last Prestor once again turned her attention back to Weiss, a smile on her face. "Well, I'll leave you two to it. I hope you have a wonderful night, Miss Schnee."

"And you, Lady Prestor." Weiss replied, more out of politeness than anything else. As soon as Lady Prestor and her guards left, both herself and Kalec let out large sighs of relief, the latter turning to face her.

"I think I owe you one for that." Kalec replied with a swift nod. "Thank you."

"Think nothing of it." Weiss replied with a nod, before turning back to face the painting.

As she looked at the painting again, she felt a fresh wave of anger wash over her as even still people ignored it. She heard shouting as those around her were more concerned about their drinks rather than helping a fellow Kingdom in need. She closed her eyes tightly as she attempted to block out the noise, as she tried to ignore it.

"It was a long time coming, if you ask me." a voice suddenly said, one that was louder than the others. Her eyes opened as she turned to face its source, locking her gaze onto a woman in a long black dress, next to her a man in a suit who looked rather embarrassed as the woman, who must have been his wife, continued on her rant. "If they're so arrogant to think they can get by without proper Kingdom defence, then I say good riddance. That Dragon should have sunk the entire city beneath the waves, good riddance to bad rubbish so to speak."

"Shut up!" Weiss found herself shouting to the woman, all the anger and frustration that had been building up since she first came back to Atlas finally unleashing itself. "You don't have a clue! None of you do!"

"Excuse me?" the woman asked, turning to look at Weiss furiously, the entire ballroom having grown silent to observe the outburst.

"You're all just standing around talking about nothing! Worrying about your hair, your money, your stupid problems that don't mean anything!" Weiss continued, talking not only to the woman, but the entire room in the process.

"Weiss, that's enough!" Jacques hissed as he quickly strode over to her and gripped her arm, quickly tugging her away, only to pause when he felt resistance.

"Let go of me!" Weiss demanded as she tried to pull away from her father, who tried in vain to fight back. "I said let go!"

Eventually, Jacques grip finally slipped and Weiss broke free, but so fervent in her attempts to break free she lost balance, landing hard on the floor. As soon as her hands touched the marble floor though, there was a flash of light that only seemed to grow brighter. There was hushed voices all around as she looked to the source, only to find herself staring at a large Glyph next to her. The Glyph continued to grow in size until with another flash it disappeared, though now in its place was something much worse.

Next to her was a large Boarbatusk, though its fur was white instead of black, and the red eyes and markings were instead a runic blue. There were cries of panic around her as the summoned Boarbatusk let out angry snorts and growls to those around it, the sound of glasses breaking as some people simply opted to run for their life. As the Boarbatusk continued to snarl and roar until at last it focused on the woman and her husband, both of whom were frozen in shock, even as the beast charged them.

"Please, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Just leave me alone!" the woman begged as she staggered back from the charging Grimm construct. Weiss could only watch on in horror as the Boarbatusk continued its mad dash towards the pair.

A shot was fired and the Boarbatusk staggered slightly before continuing on its charge. Weiss turned to see General Ironwood aiming his pistol at the construct, the barrel of his pistol smoking as he fired another shot. The construct staggered again before continuing, nearing the couple with jaws wide open, both the woman and her husband letting out cries of panic as death seemingly closed in on them.

There was then a wet thud as something heavy slammed into flesh, followed by a cry of pain from the Boarbatusk. All eyes were soon locked on one of Prestor's bodyguards, Kalaran, who was holding his Sword by its blade, the guard of his weapon having pierced the Boarbatusk in the small of its back. The Boarbatusk continued to cry out in pain as Kalaran pulled his weapon free, attempting to turn and face the armoured guardian in an effort to attack him.

Before it could do so though, an armoured boot planted itself on the Boarbatusk's back, causing it to struggle madly as Prestor's other bodyguard, Searinox, raised his blade high and forced the tip of it into the back of the constructs neck, finally silencing it. As the second bodyguard pulled the blade free from the disintegrating Grimm, the once cowering woman turned towards the armoured men and pointed angrily at Weiss.

"Arrest her!" she ordered, only to stare at the two when they refused to move. "What are you waiting for?"

"We serve Lady Prestor." Kalaran hissed in a raspy voice as both he and Searinox sheathed their blades. "Not you."

The two bodyguards then moved to join the noblewoman in question, causing the other to instead turn towards General Ironwood.

"She's insane, she should be locked up!" she argued, the General looking first at Weiss before turning to face the woman, holstering his pistol.

"She's the only one making sense around here." Ironwood commented, causing the woman to look at him in shock as he turned to face Jacques. "Thanks for the party, Jacques."

As Ironwood left, the noise began to return as people conversed with one another over what they had seen. Some went over to the woman and her husband to offer their condolences, whilst others went to Lady Prestor, congratulating her on choosing such efficient bodyguards. Though Weiss paid no attention to them, nor the slander that was directed at her, for her attention was instead on her father, and the angry expression he wore.

She had a feeling that she was going to pay for this accident dearly…

 **00000000**

 **And done. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either leave in your reviews or PM me privately. Next update will be May 19th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	4. Forging Bonds

**Hello everyone, and welcome back to another chapter. Honestly, I almost forgot to update the story today, but did remember in the end. Now, review response time! TheFelRoseOfTerror; begone Stephen King, go back to the shadow! Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 4- Forging Bonds**

After the rather dramatic event that had just occurred in the main ball room of the Schnee Manor, many of the guests, particularly those that were in the ball room when Miss Schnee lost control of her abilities, had opted to leave the event much earlier then intended. Some still stayed, either curious as to what would happen next or taking advantage of the free food on offer, but the majority had left the premises, Kalec amongst them.

In truth, he felt sorry for the Schnee girl and was certainly sympathetic to her. Though as sorry as he felt for her, he couldn't deny that her outburst had provided him with an easy escape route amongst the throng of guests that were encouraged to leave by her outburst. He knew he had overstayed his welcome as soon as he met the Lady Prestor, and staying any longer in the Manor may have had dire consequences for himself.

There was something strange about the Lady Prestor, but he didn't know what. There was an aura of magic around her, an alluring charm of some form, but it was almost as if it was being used to mask something else. What he didn't know, but was determined to find out. There was no doubt in his mind that it was she that was the Twilight Spy, and a powerful one if the strength of the charm was anything to go by. Of course, his brethren would need more evidence then just a hunch, evidence that the Schnee girl would be adept at gaining.

He stopped in the street he was walking down, just outside a local hostel. It looked to be in decent condition, though seemed to be vacant of any guests. Perfect for his operation. He made his way to the door, a bell ringing as it opened, and stepped into the warmth of the reception room, wiping his snow laden boots on the welcome mat before approaching the desk, an elderly man reading a logbook rather lazily sat there, not even bothering to look up even as Kalec approached.

"I'm sorry but the hostel is closed under orders of Lady Prestor." the clerk announced rather flatly, still not bothering to look up towards Kalec. "We don't sell drinks, we don't sell chicken feed, and we don't accept guests. Please leave before the local authorities accuse you of trying to find shelter."

Kalec quickly cleared his throat, startling the clerk as he sat up, a look of shock on his weathered face.

"Sweet hearthstones! An actual guest!" the man hurriedly said, quickly brushing his shirt down and straightening his jacket as he turned to face Kalec. "I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting anyone."

"Clearly," Kalec responded, looking around at the rather decrepit state of the reception. Whilst the exterior of the establishment was certainly pristine, the interior left much to be desired. Cobwebs clung to nearly every surface, and much of the furniture was broken and covered in dust. "I would like to rent a room please, if you have any available."

The man's face fell quickly, the shocked expression now replaced by a frown. "Oh I'm terribly sorry, but what I said earlier was indeed true. Lady Prestor has shut down this establishment, and many others like it. I'm afraid I cannot legally provide you with a room."

"That's fine." Kalec reassured, causing the clerk to look at him quizzically. "I would rather few knew I was staying here. I can promise to pay you for your troubles, as long as you keep this quiet."

"Why, to disobey Lady Prestor's orders..." the clerk murmured, slightly horrified before a large grin spread across his face. "Why, it would be my pleasure! Please, this way."

The clerk hurriedly stood up and rushed to Kalec's side, gesturing for him to follow. Kalec did so, moving through the dark corridors and up the stairs to the upper levels, the woodwork creaking as they did so.

"You said that Lady Prestor had this place shut down, why exactly was that?" Kalec probed, breaking the near deafening silence as he spoke. The clerk turned to face him, a look of disgust etched on his face as he heard the name of the Lady Prestor before he spoke.

"This hostel and many others like it, were often used to house the poor and homeless." the clerk replied, watching his step as they passed through a few of the more damaged corridors. "For whatever reason, Lady Prestor didn't like that idea, and she convinced the council to shut us all down, and funnel their funding into the pockets of the rich and greedy, in other words their own."

"What happened to those that used to stay here?" Kalec pressed, the clerk quickly frowning as he thought back to them.

"Many of them didn't survive the first night on the streets. They were the lucky ones." the clerk replied with a sombre sigh as he shook his head. "Those that survived are at the mercy of the elements, with some having been so desperate they've joined the Twilight's Hammer. Such a shame..."

"You are certain of this?" Kalec asked, a suspicious look in his eyes as the clerk turned around to face him.

"Well, you hear rumours, but can't say for certain." the clerk answered, before he held his hand out to the door they were stood next to. "Now, here's your room. The key is in the door, if you need anything just use the phone provided."

"Thank you for your hospitality kind sir." Kalec thanked, causing the clerk to nod his head in appreciation. "Once my work here is done, I promise to repay you for your hospitality."

"You are too kind, sir." the clerk responded, before turning to leave Kalec to his business.

Once the clerk was gone, Kalec turned the key, unlocking the door to his new accommodation. Stepping into the dark suite, he was greeted by a dark and dreary room, the furniture covered in dust and cobwebs, the only saving grace of the room being that it had a particularly nice view of the rest of the City.

'Nothing a little magic cannot solve' Kalec thought to himself as he wiped some of the dust off of the bedside table. But right now he had other important matters to attend to.

Taking a breath, he cleared his head of all thoughts and emotions, before holding his hand out in front of him. He began to channel arcane magic into the palm of his hand, his eyes lighting up with the runic energy. Streams of ethereal energy erupted from his hand and onto the floor in front of him, sending clouds of dust into the air in response. Eventually the stream dissipated, though in its place was now the ethereal image of two great Dragons; Senegos, the one who had sent Kalec to Atlas in the first place, and Arygos, the last known Scion of Malygos. He knelt humbly before the two Dragons, raising his head to look at the considerably small images of the two Dragons.

"Kalecgos, it is good to see you again." Senegos calmly said with a nod of his great head. "I trust your journey was a safe one?"

"Indeed it was, Lord Senegos." Kalec responded, before turning to face the image of Arygos, who had a notable scowl on his reptilian features. "Lord Arygos, what a pleasant surprise to see you. The Aspect is well, I take it?"

"Silence, whelp!" Arygos all but roared, a low growl rumbling in his throat as he glared at Kalec. "You will explain to me what you're doing in Human lands and why I wasn't notified of this mission until AFTER you left!"

"It was a matter of urgency Lord Arygos." Senegos replied, causing the younger Blue Dragon to turn to him instead. "We have reason to believe that the Humans are in great danger from the Twilight's Hammer and their Black Dragon Masters."

"Then let the Mortals destroy themselves. It is of no concern to us." Arygos sneered, his nostrils flaring with a derisive snort.

"I think you will find it IS our concern." Senegos corrected, a hint of annoyance in his voice, a rare sight indeed. "For as long as there are Mortals to protect, they are still our charge and always will be. You will do well too remember such things, especially if you are to become Aspect, as you so wish."

Arygos said nothing in response, turning his head away and snorting loudly. Confident that the Scion would say nothing else, Senegos turned to face Kalec, who had remained silent during the exchange.

"Kalecgos, report. What have you uncovered?"

"Not much I'm afraid, I've only just in the City." Kalec stated matter of factly, waiting for some snide comment from Arygos in response. When he heard none, he took it as his cue to continue. "That said, I believe I may have our first suspect as to the identity of the Twilight Spy. Her name is Katrana Prestor, a noblewoman who has been brushing elbows with the Schnee family as of late. I could feel powerful magic coming off of her form, an alluring charm I believe, and a powerful one at that."

"And what of the girl that the pools showed? Did you discover who she was?" Senegos asked, Arygos suddenly perking up at the mention of the pools.

"Her name is Weiss Schnee, Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company...at least she was. Whether or not she will still hold that title after tonight's events remains to be seen." Kalec replied, the look of uncertainty on his face made more clear by his Human form.

"What do you mean? Explain." Arygos demanded, once again making his voice heard.

"There was an...incident during a formal gathering today. It seemed as though Miss Schnee lost control of her emotions and accidentally summoned a construct of some form." Kalec explained, scowling slightly at Arygos' smug laugh.

"Humans...when will they learn?" Arygos sneered, chuckling mirthfully to himself as he shook his head.

"Do you believe her to be a threat?" Senegos asked, choosing to ignore Arygos, much to his chagrin.

"Not to us. In truth I may owe her my life." Kalec responded, Senegos nodding his head in thought at the statement. "It is my belief that she could be invaluable to us. If Lady Prestor is indeed the agent of the Black Dragonflight, then any proof to this claim could be in the Schnee Estate, where I believe she is currently lodged. An area that Miss Schnee will undoubtedly have unlimited access too."

"IF she is still the Heiress." Arygos butted in suddenly. "If this 'incident' damages her position, she could have limited access to her own home. And that is if Lady Prestor is the spy as you so boldly claim."

"I have enough reason to believe so, Lord Arygos." Kalec confirmed, turning towards the image of the Blue Dragon in question.

The Blue Dragon grunted in amusement before shimmering out of existence, leaving only Kalec and the image of Senegos in the room.

"As much as I hate to agree with him, he has a point." Senegos finally said after what seemed like an eternity of silence. "How can you be so certain that this Lady Prestor is the spy you seek?"

"Just call it a hunch, Lord Senegos." Kalec responded matter of factly. "Give me a week to gather some more evidence. I'll get to the bottom of this, I swear."

"I do not doubt you will, Kalecgos." Senegos replied with a smile. "I must say, your servant Narygos has been awfully quiet. Is he with you right now?"

"Not in person, no." Kalec replied as he stood up from his kneeling position. "I've sent him on a… special assignment."

 **00000000**

"Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable!"

Weiss felt herself shrink away from her Father as he continued on his rant. After the 'incident', she had been herded away rather forcefully by her Father back to her quarters. For over the past hour or so he had been shouting at her, demanding an explanation as to what exactly happened. And truth be told, Weiss didn't know. She had never felt so much rage in her entire life, it was as if for that single moment, she was simply a passenger in her own body.

Oh god, was this what it felt like being Yang?!

"Do you have any idea what your stunt cost us?!" Jacques asked angrily, pointing an accusatory finger at Weiss in the process. "And don't think I'm talking about Lien here! Our reputation! Our… Our..."

All the fight seemed to leave Jacques at that moment as he sighed angrily, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shook his head.

"I want to leave."

Jacques immediately perked up at Weiss' request- no, demand- as he turned to face her, an angry expression on his face.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said I want to leave." Weiss repeated, with added emphasis on the end of the sentence. "I don't want to stay here any more. I don't want to stay in Atlas any more!"

"Young lady, I don't give a damn about what you want!" Jacques responded angrily, one of his gloved hands clenching tightly as he looked at Weiss with angry eyes. "This isn't about you. This is about the Schnee family name and your apparent insistence on dragging it through the mud!"

"Excuse me?!" Weiss asked, meeting her Fathers glare with one of her own. "I have done nothing but fight to uphold the honour of _my_ family name, a name _you_ married into!"

Weiss didn't even register the slap until her head was flung to the right. She didn't even register the stinging pain on her left cheek until she raised a hand to soothe the blow. She turned to face her Father, clearly startled by the act.

"This behaviour of yours is incredibly disappointing." Jacques said calmly, nursing the palm of his hand as if he had grazed it. "How do you think that dear Glacies would have thought if he had seen you tonight? Or if he saw you right now?"

Weiss felt her heart freeze as Jacques said that name, a look of both distress and anger washing over her face as she turned to face him.

"Don't you dare talk about him like you knew him!" Weiss declared defiantly, though it did little to alter her Father's gaze. "I'm doing what I feel is right, and that does not include wasting my time here, with these clueless people in Atlas. The Schnee family legacy isn't yours to leave, it's mine, and I'll do it as a Huntress!"

"No… you won't." Jacques quickly responded, stepping towards Weiss so he was practically looming over her. "You're not to leave the Manor grounds unless I specifically allow it. You are going to remain here, out of sight and out of trouble, until you and I come to an agreement on your future. It would seem that perhaps Lady Prestor was right about you."

"What are you talking about?" Weiss demanded, her voice so quiet she thought that her Father had perhaps not heard her at first.

"It has become clear that the trauma you endured at the fall of Beacon was too much for you." Jacques began, slowly making his way towards the door of Weiss' room. "Which is why with a heavy heart, you have stepped down and denounced your claim to the company, and have instead passed it on to your brother, Whitley."

Weiss froze in shock at the statement, her jaw dropping immediately as the severity of what her father had said hit her head on like a train. There was a click as her Father opened the door, quickly stepping through it and closing the door after him. For the briefest of seconds she saw Whitley on the other side, clearly having eavesdropped on the entire conversation. A sinking feeling entered Weiss' mind as a dreaded thought came to light. Quickly storming out of her room, she caught sight of her brother briskly walking down the corridor.

"Whitley?!" Weiss shouted, causing her brother to freeze in his tracks as he turned to face her, that same smile on his face.

"Yes, sister?" Whitley asked, the smile unmoving as he continued to stare at Weiss.

"Did you know about this?" Weiss demanded, crossing her arms to make herself seem more authoritative.

"About what?" Whitley innocently asked, shrugging his shoulders as he spoke.

"You never liked Winter. You never liked me." Weiss stated matter of factly, pausing as if to emphasise the point. "But you've been nothing but supportive since the moment I came back."

"If being kind to my big sister is some sort of crime, then I suppose I'm guilty." Whitley chuckled slightly.

And then it hit her. The constant support, the nice comments, the good posturing, the brushing elbows with nobles. It was all a front, to make himself look like a capable individual. A capable heir.

"You-...you wanted this to happen." Weiss realised, a look of hurt and betrayal on her face as the supportive smile on her brothers face turned into a hateful sneer.

"It's foolish not to do as Father asks." Whitley stated matter of factly, his eyes narrowed into hateful slits as he showed his true nature, a nasty laugh escaping his lips as he turned to leave Weiss in the hallway. "Don't worry, Weiss. The Schnee family name is in good hands."

Weiss couldn't believe it. Her brother, her own flesh and blood, had tricked her. No, betrayed her. She could feel the pit in her stomach even as she re-entered her room, as her emotions began to bubble over. She rushed to her bed, nearly collapsing on it as she slowly and quietly began to cry. Her life was in ruins. Everything she had worked towards, gone in seconds. She continued to cry, ignoring everything around her.

"Why do Humans always insist on crying when things go wrong?" a smooth male voice asked, causing Weiss to lift her head up in shock with a gasp. "Oh damn."

"Wh-who's there?!" Weiss sniffed, using her hands in an attempt to dry her eyes.

"...Your conscience?" the voice responded, clearly unsure itself.

Weiss looked around rapidly, trying to find the source of the noise. It was then that she at last noticed the open window, her curtains blowing rapidly. Thinking quickly, she reached for her bedside table, where she kept her blade _Myrtenaster_ kept in its storage case. Yet before she could even reach the box, she felt something intercept her and block her off. Something big.

With tremendous force the invisible object shoved her back onto her bed, causing her to fall down with an undignified grunt. She could hear claws tapping on the marble floor in front of her, as well as the heavy footsteps that accompanied them.

"If you're here to kidnap or assassinate me then I'm afraid you're targeting the wrong person." Weiss murmured quietly, the footfalls of her assailant pausing momentarily before continuing. She was becoming aware of where the noise was coming from, giving her somewhat of an idea of where they were. And right now they were between her and her weapon.

"You Mortals always have a high opinion of yourselves." the voice chuckled. Not a cruel laugh like the one her brother had given her, one that was genuinely amused. "I'm not here to hurt you. In a matter of fact, I'm here for your help."

"If you're here for help, then why don't you show yourself?" Weiss stated matter of factly, wondering if perhaps she could be quick enough to side step the invisible individual.

"Let us just say that my appearance is...not what you're expecting, I can assure you." the voice calmly rebuked. Weiss wasn't sure, but she thought she heard a near animalistic growl at the end of the sentence.

"Then why should I help you?" Weiss responded matter of factly. There was a pause as the individual seemed to mull over the statement, made apparent by the rhythmic tapping of a claw. A Faunus with a Semblance that granted invisibility perhaps? It would certainly explain the claw and animal like noises, but not the large mass that had barged into her.

"Duly noted." the voice finally responded after what seemed like an eternity of silence. "Very well, I shall reveal myself if that is what you wish."

Weiss waited for a second until she could hear a strange thrumming noise in front of her. It was then that a large form quickly melted in front of her, a form that made Weiss freeze on the spot. They were large, certainly larger then she expected, covered head to toe in deep blue scales, with cyan runes covering their body. Pristine white teeth jutted out of their mouth, with a small horn on the end of their nose and bony spines running along their slender snake like neck. Amber eyes bored into her, with black claws clattering expectedly as the large bat like wings folded in on themselves.

"You're a...you're a..." Weiss began, very clearly lost for words as she stumbled back onto her bed.

"A Dragon, yes." the owner of the voice finished for her, holding a fore-paw to his chest in a similar manner to a Human or Faunus. "Well, technically I'm actually a Drake but I will eventually grow into a Dragon. I must say, you're taking this extremely well all things considered. After your Father practically disowned you I contemplated whether or not I should even come in today or if I should leave you to your-"

"Wait, you've been listening in on me this entire time!" Weiss suddenly said, the shock in her system quickly being replaced by anger.

"Only this past hour or so..." the Drake replied matter of factly, sitting on the floor in a similar manner to a Dog. Upon seeing the angry glare that the ex-Heiress was giving him, he cocked his head slightly to the side. "I take it this displeases you?"

Weiss wanted to scream and shout at the Dragon, or Drake, or whatever the hell it was, and tell it to leave her alone immediately and never come back. Yet she found she had no fight in her, no matter how much she wanted to will it. She let out a weary sigh as she shook her head slowly, trying her best to get a grip on her jumble of emotions.

"No, I-… I'm sorry. It's just that what I had hoped was a private moment of shame and dishonour is private no longer." Weiss explained, sniffing loudly as she did her best to wipe away the dried up tears staining her cheeks.

"You know, I thought the way you stood up to your Father, the way you stood up to everyone in the ballroom, was very brave." the Drake quietly said, leaning his saurian head closer to Weiss.

"You...think so?" Weiss asked, the Drake nodding his head in response. "How-...how do you know about the ballroom incident?"

"I'm magic, how do you think?" the Drake chuckled, the ends of his mouth curling up slightly in a small smile. "Today has not been a good day for you. You're tired, go get some rest and I will speak with you more tomorrow, how does that sound?"

"That sounds...nice." Weiss agreed, not even bothering to change into a nightgown of any sort, simply turning to her bed and pulling the quilt back, sliding into her bed with little to no effort. She was about to pull the covers over her, only to freeze in surprise when she saw the Drake gently bite down on the corner of the quilt and pull it over for her.

"I will talk with you tomorrow about why I've come to you, but for now, get some rest. You will need it in the days to come." the Drake soothingly explained, Weiss slowly nodding her head in agreement. As the Drake turned to leave, Weiss sat up suddenly, an urgent question popping into her head.

"Wait, I don't even know your name." Weiss suddenly asked, causing the Drake to turn suddenly in her direction. "I mean-if you even have a name, for all I know you don't give yourselves names and-"

"Narygos." the Drake told her. "My name is Narygos."

"Oh," Weiss said, before smiling and nodding towards the Blue Drake. "Then farewell, Narygos."

Narygos gave her one last smile before he opened his wings and leapt out of the window, his form shimmering away before he had even cleared the window fully.

"Narygos..." Weiss murmured to herself as she felt her body slowly drift off into unconsciousness, until at last she closed her eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

 **00000000**

 **And done! Sorry it was out a little later then usual, but you know how it is. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either leave in your review or PM me directly. Next update is June 2nd.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	5. Alliance of Convenience

**Hello everyone, and welcome back. Review response time first. TheFelRoseOfTerror; hey, who said that Arygos is gonna be a traitor? And if you recall, I said that Kirygosa was missing and declared dead in the first chapter, so it would make sense for it not to be her. And as for why not Tarecgosa, I believe she only has major appearances in the manga which I have never read. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 5- Alliance of Convenience**

When Weiss awoke in the morning, she didn't quite know what to expect. Given the events of the night before, she had expected her room to be completely destroyed, or at the very least be in a disorganised state. She was also half expecting to see the Blue Dragon Narygos leering over her bed, waiting for her to wake up. So she was pleasantly surprised to find none of those thoughts had been made a reality, her bedroom in the same state that it had been when she went to sleep. With a sigh, she pulled the covers of her bed off, slowly making her way to the door and began to twist it open.

The handle didn't even budge a millimetre before it stopped. She let out an angry sigh as she shook her head, of course her Father had locked her in. Either he'd ordered the servants to do it or he had seen to it himself. Thank goodness then that she had an on suite in her room.

She was quick to head to the private bathroom, quickly removing her dress and throwing it into the laundry basket, ready to be washed and ironed. She then turned on the shower, waiting for the water to reach a sufficient temperature before stepping through. She proceeded to wash herself clean, trying her best to be-rid herself of the smells from last night. When she was satisfied, she switched it off, quickly wrapping a towel around her slender form as she proceeded to dry her hair. As she stepped back into her bedroom, a sudden chill blew into her back, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

Turning, she saw the window, still wide open, the curtains blowing gently in the sudden breeze before calming. She simply stood, staring at the open air outside, a flock of birds flying high in the air above. To see the sky reignited her desire to be free, to leave her home and actually do something with her life. And then she saw the trio of Atlesian Airships cruising through the skies, and realised that even if she was to somehow escape her home, she wouldn't be free until she was out of Atlas.

With a weary sigh, she turned instead to her bed, deciding to instead focus on making herself look presentable. She may be locked in her room until further notice, but there was no doubt in her mind that her Father or someone else would come in to check up on her. Once both her hair and body were dry, she began to put some fresh clothes on, opting for a short grey dress, not unlike her old combat dress from her time at Beacon. Once the clothing was on, she began to style her hair into the crooked ponytail she had opted for in the past, her damp hair finally beginning to dry out, if slowly.

Now, fully dressed, she turned back towards the door, her hand reaching for the doorknob. As she turned the handle, she was surprised to hear it click loudly, the handle turning all the way as the door slowly swung open. Odd, she thought. She hadn't heard the door open at any point when she was washing herself, and if someone had opened the door they should have announced themselves as they usually did.

"I would advise you close the door before we talk." a male voice declared, a voice Weiss remembered from the night before. "Words have a tendency of travelling far through open doors."

Weiss nodded slowly, relinquishing her grip on the door handle and letting it close slowly. When at last it did with a resounding click, she turned to face the voices owner, only to be greeted by nothingness. Then, in a similar manner to last night, the form of the Blue Drake materialised before her, the reptilian being perched on the window like a gargoyle.

"Narygos," Weiss greeted with a small nod of her head, the Drake in question returning the gesture. "I take it you are responsible for my door being unlocked."

"That I am." Narygos responded with a smug grin. "An advantage of being magic means that mortal means of security are of little hindrance to me."

"Such as locked doors?" Weiss asked with an upraised brow.

"Please, a simple lock such as that one is nothing compared to one such as I." Narygos snorted matter of factly, raising a paw to his chest to make himself appear more sophisticated.

"I have to ask, how did you manage to trick the biometric scanner?" Weiss queried, grinning slightly when she saw the surprise suddenly appear in the Drake's amber eyes as he swivelled his head towards the ex-Heiress.

"The...biometric scanner?..." Narygos slowly asked, the confidence in his voice now suddenly gone.

"Yes, the biometric scanner." Weiss repeated, crossing her arms over her chest as the Drakes posture suddenly began to drop. "An extra security measure my Father had in place for my safety. Anyone who enters the room and isn't recognised has roughly about, oh I don't know, sixty seconds to vacate the area before they are incinerated."

"Incinerated?!" Narygos nearly roared, looking around hurriedly for any device capable of performing such a feat. It was then that he heard a stifled snigger coming from Weiss, turning quickly to see the Heiress struggling not to laugh. "Why you little..."

"I can't believe you actually fell for that!" Weiss sniggered, before breaking into a full on laugh upon seeing the scowl on the Drake's face. However, almost as suddenly as she started to laugh, she stopped, her face falling considerably as she stared at the floor. "...that's the first time I've laughed since I've been here...the first time I've truly laughed..."

"I take it this is a household where humour is frowned upon?" Narygos asked, genuinely curious. When he received no answer, he chuckled slightly to himself. "Well, considering your apparent sense of humour, I can see why..."

Weiss laughed again, this time without humour. Narygos was quick to recognise this, bowing his head slightly to appear humble.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to be rude." Narygos apologised, his voice laced with genuine sincerity.

"It's quite all right." Weiss responded, taking a deep breath as she composed herself, before turning to face the Drake. "Now, last night you wanted to speak with me, correct?"

"Yes, that is correct." Narygos confirmed, nodding his head slowly as he quickly composed himself. "Miss Schnee, I- we -need your help."

"We?" Weiss asked, clearly confused at the statement. "As in there are more of you?"

"For centuries, my kind have been watching over your kind, protecting you from harm along with the other mortal races." Narygos started, ignoring Weiss' question as he continued. "However, in recent years we have become lax in our duties, and out enemies have taken advantage. Our treacherous kin, the Black Dragonflight, are preparing for something. With their Master returned to this world, they are preparing for a War that will wipe out all life on Remnant. Even now their servants, the Twilight's Hammer, are preparing for this fallout, and they have a spy in this City. A spy right under your nose."

"A spy?" Weiss asked, taken aback by the news. "Who?"

"We do not know for certain, but my associate in the City believes that it is the Lady Prestor." Narygos answered, Weiss staggering back slightly at the name.

Lady Prestor, a spy? She didn't like the woman, in fact she hated her, but she would never have assumed she was a spy. But then it clicked in her. When she was first introduced to the noblewoman, she didn't recognise the name. She had searched for it in every annal, every history book, but found no trace of the name. It was as if the woman had simply came out of nowhere.

"Wait, what does this have to do with me? Why do you need my help?" Weiss asked, shaking her head slightly as she mulled over the rush of information.

"Because we do not know for certain about Lady Prestor." Narygos began to explain. "For all we know it could all be circumstantial, and we have no evidence to suggest that Lady Prestor is indeed the spy. We cannot risk ourselves, not with our numbers as few as they are. But you, you can move through the Manor without so much as raising an eye. And with your position in the hierarchy, I would think that Lady Prestor could not afford to make you disappear."

"So that's it then? I'm just some disposable cannon fodder?" Weiss asked, crossing her arms as a scowl spread across her face.

"I didn't mean it like that," Narygos quickly apologised upon hearing what the ex-Heiress had implied. "What I meant was-"

"Then why did you say it like that then?" Weiss pressed. When the Drake didn't answer, Weiss continued with her rant. "You're just going to use me, just like my Father and the rest of my family do, and when I'm no longer useful or if I do something you don't like, you'll just get rid of me. One way or another."

"It's not like that." Narygos started, his voice still calm in spite of the accusations.

"Really?" Weiss asked, leaning back slightly as she cocked her head. "How is what you're saying different to something my Father would say?"

"Because I'm asking you to help."

Weiss was silent as Narygos said those words, her eyes wide in shock at the statement.

"Excuse me?" Weiss slowly but surely asked, Narygos sighing wearily as he lowered his head.

"I'm not telling you to help, I'm asking you to help." Narygos began to elaborate, pausing to let the words sink in before continuing. "I understand that you may not care for the troubles of my Flight, or if you believe me. I was sent here to see if you would be willing to work not for us, but with us. I had hoped you would agree, or at the very least consider our offer, but I understand why you wouldn't. We won't force you to do something that you don't want."

With another sigh, he began to turn away from the ex-Heiress, clearly ready to leave her to her thoughts. Yet suddenly he stopped as he felt a hand on his back, the smoothness of the skin sending a chill though him. Turning, he saw Weiss looking imploringly at him, her blue eyes boring into his amber eyes.

"I'll help." Weiss stated, causing Narygos to look at her in bewilderment. "During my life, I've met two types of people: those who tell and those who ask. And I've never turned down someone who asks, and you won't be the first."

"Thank you, Miss Schnee." Narygos responded, the ends of his lips turning into a gracious smile.

"So, what do you want me to do?" Weiss asked, ready to help in any way she could.

"For today, nothing. Keep a low profile and I will come when we need something." Narygos informed her, the ex-Heiress nodding her head in understanding. "Hopefully I will return tomorrow, where we can begin our investigation."

"Sounds like a plan." Weiss concurred, a small smile on her face. "And thank you, for asking."

"Miss Schnee," Narygos responding, bowing his head before turning to the open skies, spreading his wings and leaping forward, his form shimmering away quickly.

It was at that point that Weiss realised her hand had been resting on the Drake's back for the remainder of the conversation, and she quickly retracted it, brushing her fingers on her palm as she recalled the smooth texture of his scales. She could even feel a tingling sensation on the tips of her fingers, no doubt residue magic. She hummed to herself in satisfaction before turning to face the open skies, letting out a soft sigh of relief…

 **00000000**

Whitley Schnee smiled to himself as he walked through the corridors of the Schnee Manor, looking at the many paintings and statues that decorated the long corridors. It had finally happened. He was the Heir to the Schnee Dust Company. Everything that had been promised to him was coming true, but he certainly didn't expect it to happen so spectacularly.

He knew that Lady Prestor had tried to convince his Father before that his sister was unfit to continue the family trade, but he had remained rather adamant about Weiss being in charge. He didn't know what the Lady Prestor had told him, but clearly it was enough that on that fateful night Jacques had finally relented to her statements, and now he was the Heir. He had been rather fortunate to find Prestor when he did, the noblewoman had practically thrown herself at him. And now, thanks to her carelessness, he had her wrapped around his finger.

He approached the Lady's chambers, her ever present Bodyguards, Kalaran and Searinox, stood outside her chambers with their arms folded, the armoured Knights staring at him as he approached. He stood between the two, who remained unmoving as he looked between the two expectantly.

"I'm here to see Lady Prestor." Whitley announced as the two Knights refused to move. As he said those words, the two simply stared at one another until Kalaran opened the door and stepped through, leaving Whitley alone with Searinox.

He crinkled his nose slightly as the smell of burning flesh and ash coming from the Bodyguard bombarded his nostrils. Apparently, the two had been caught in an explosion that had rendered them near death, leaving them heavily scarred and burned. It was the reason the two always wore armour and why they rarely spoke, and the times they did speak their voice was ugly to listen too. Eventually, the door opened again and Kalaran stood on the other side, one hand on the door handle whilst the other was gesturing inside the room.

"Lady Prestor will see you now." Kalaran growled, his voice raspy with lord knows what.

Whitley quickly stepped through into the grand chambers of Lady Prestor, the room nearly dark save for the candles that were lit and scattered around the room. At the end of the room, near the bed chambers, sat Lady Prestor, her hair flowing down onto the burgundy dressing gown she wore, an open book in her hand.

"Whitley, what a...pleasant surprise." Lady Prestor said, the irritation in her voice lost upon the boy in question. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Oh nothing really Lady Prestor, I just came to thank you for your part in my sisters downfall." Whitley responded, the two Bodyguards quickly looking at one another in response.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, boy." Lady Prestor stated quietly. "What happened to your sister was a tragic accident, and had it not been for the haste of my men-"

"Oh please, you can cut the act Prestor." Whitley demanded, folding his arms in a confident manner. "I know it was you that caused my sisters outburst. I don't know what you did or how you did it, but I know that my sister would never act in such a way involuntarily."

Whitley stood still for a moment as he looked at the shocked look on Prestor's face. He could just imagine it now what would come next. The begging, the imploring to ignore this incident. He would at first deny her, until she claimed she would do anything. Then he would begin to relent, under the condition that from now on they would...share the bed, so to speak. He had long desired to see her in such a state of undress, and now that it was within his grasp, it was more satisfying then it had been before.

Which made it all the more the surprising when Prestor began to smile. Not the kind and sultry smile he was used to, but a wicked smile that promised only misery and torment.

"Do you really think that your Father will listen to you?" Lady Prestor laughed, the evil smile never leaving her face.

"I-...I don't understand..." Whitley began to stammer, the confidence he had once been brimming with slowly seeping out of him. "This isn't how it was meant to go."

"You're pathetic, even by Schnee standards you snivelling brat!" Lady Prestor sneered, closing the book in her hand with a loud snap. She then began to advance on Whitley, who began to shrink away from her approach. "Contrary to what you may think, I know you've been watching me, investigating me. You were more subtle then your sister, I will give you that much, but not subtle enough. And we both know what happened to dear Winter."

"Wh-what are you saying?" Whitley whimpered, his voice hitching slightly as he spoke.

"What do you think?" Lady Prestor replied, leaning over so she was eye to eye with the new Heir, beads of sweat dribbling down his forehead. "Now, I don't want to have this conversation again, boy. You will not mention a word of our discussion or its contents to anyone, you will not even record it in any sort of diary. And believe me when I tell you that I will know if you have, and you will most certainly regret it. Understood?"

With a gulp, Whitley nodded his head, Lady Prestor smiling slightly in triumph as she brushed a strand of his hair away, the boy flinching upon contact. She stood up straight, nodding her head towards Kalaran, who opened the door, letting in a wave of light. Immediately Whitley turned and left the room, Kalaran closing the door behind him as he left. Lady Prestor let out a growl of annoyance as she pinched her forehead, shaking her head slowly. Almost as if sensing her anger at the foolish boy, both Kalaran and Searinox stepped forward.

"I you so desire it, we can kill the boy." Searinox offered, the gurgling of his throat more reminiscent of a roaring fire then anything remotely wet.

"No one would a suspect a thing." Kalaran added, the rasp in his voice almost snakelike.

"That won't be necessary." Lady Prestor declared, throwing the book onto a nearby chair. "He is still of use to us."

"As you wish." the two Bodyguards chorused, bowing deeply before returning to their stations outside the room.

Without another word, Lady Prestor returned to her bed chambers, closing the door and making sure it was secure. She moved to the bedside cabinet, quickly plucking a small purple orb off the table. She held it aloft, whispering a series of incantations as a wispy smoke began to churn inside the orb. A face soon came into shape, a shape she did not immediately recognise.

"You there, where is Commander Kelris." Lady Prestor demanded, the figure in the smoke snorting loudly in amusement at the request.

"Commander Kelris has been relieved of his duties. I am in Command now." the figure declared before he lowered his head in obedience. "What do you require, Mistress?"

"I want a group of your best men, and I want them now!" Lady Prestor demanded, the look of confusion very apparent on the new Commanders face. "I need blades that I can rely on to do some cleaning up, when the time comes."

 **00000000**

 **And done. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either PM me or leave in your reviews. Next update will instead be on June 23rd rather than June 16th, because I have pre-booked plans that can't be changed. Hope you all understand.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	6. The Military Governor

**Hello everyone, guess who's back! Sorry about last week but I hope you all understood my reasons and I pray you think this chapter was worth the wait. Now, review response time! TheFelRoseOfTerror; yeah, I have no idea how to respond to that review whatsoever. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 6- The Military Governor**

Ironwood sighed heavily as he signed another bereavement letter, notifying another family of the passing of their kin in the line of duty. A squad of troopers had been ambushed by the Twilight's Hammer en-route to a beleaguered bastion in the southern end of the continent. Not a single man or woman had made it, their bodies left to freeze in the unforgiving weather of Solitas. They themselves only learned of it when the bastion in question had reported their reinforcements hadn't arrived, and then they lost contact with them hours later. It was only by chance that a passing Huntsman found the site of the bloody massacre, as well as the ruins of the bastion, the flag of Atlas torn down and replaced with the colours of the Twilight's Hammer.

The Cult had never been a problem up until now, when that damned Dragon tore up Beacon just by setting foot there. Ever since then they'd become aggressive, more so then they had in the past. Their recruitment was increasing tenfold seemingly every day, and any spy or agent they tried to plant was compromised one way or another. He couldn't believe that he was thinking this, but he sorely missed the days when Atlas did battle with the White Fang. After the Beacon attack, the White Fang had gone into hiding, only rarely attacking openly now. It seemed that Adam Taurus, the leader of the attack, had gone into hiding, no doubt to avoid the wrath of Sienna Khan. He didn't know much about the terrorist leader, but what information he did have painted her as the type to not condone such a cowardly act.

If there was any good news to gain from this whole fiasco, it was that the threat of Salem had for the time, subsided. One of his last reports from Winter before her disappearance claimed that the dark witch was dead, along with the majority of her followers. That should have been enough to celebrate were it not for the fact she learned this information from a Twilight Cultist she was interrogating. Apparently, THEY had been the ones to assault Salem's stronghold and slaughter her where she stood, along with everyone else they could find. If this Cult was able to do in a matter of days what Ozpin had been trying for years, how much longer could they reasonably last?

A crack of lightning illuminated his dark office, and the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance caught his attention, causing him to turn to the window behind him. Down below in the snow covered grounds of the Military Academy, Soldiers and personnel were hurrying inside the many buildings, the flags near the parade ground flapping viciously in the wind. In the distance, dark clouds rolled towards him, flashes of lightning illuminating the sky temporarily. Beneath the darkened clouds, the snow was falling heavily, covering the buildings and streets below with layers of snow almost instantly.

Thundersnow, his least favourite type of storm.

Ironwood sighed as he closed the curtains to his office, turning to the wall and flipping on the lights, illuminating his office again. He sat at his desk again, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. He knew exactly what was causing this severe weather. It was the Relic, locked deep beneath the Atlas Academy, behind a door only the Winter Maiden could open. The exact same Relic that served as a prison for one of the most primal beings in existence: Al'Akir the Windlord.

His thoughts drifted to the other Relics, and their status. Whilst Vale had fallen, he had heard from a more than reliable source that the Beacon Relic, the Relic of Creation, was safe and out of harms way. If only the same could be said for the other two Relics. Vacuo had quickly fallen into chaos after the fall of Vale, all the hate and anger attracting hordes of Grimm. There was so much carnage there that whoever had stolen the Relic barely had to lift a finger it seemed, for it was indeed missing from its vault. As for Mistral, the city still stood strong, though he had heard nothing from that coward of a man Leo for some years. Lionheart indeed.

It was very clear that Atlas would have to stand on its own, not that it had troubled him to begin with. Only they had the Military might to stand against the Twilight's Hammer and their masters, only they could stop their ultimate end goal, whatever that was. There was a loud knock on the door, causing him to look up immediately in response.

"Come in." Ironwood said, sitting up straight so as to present himself in a dignified manner.

Seconds later the door creaked open, a Soldier stepping through, his armour covered in a fine layer of snow and frost. He rubbed his hands together and blew into them, the cold penetrating his fleshy skin even under the thick winter gloves. He then quickly stood to attention, brining a hand to his head in salute.

"Sir, someone is here to speak with you." the Soldier reported, his voice wavering slightly due to the cold.

"Tell them it can wait, I'm busy." Ironwood responded, looking down to his desk to continue writing as if to emphasise the point he didn't wish to be disturbed.

"With respect Sir, he says it's important." the Soldier responded, Ironwood's eyes darting up impatiently. "He wishes to offer his assistances in regards to a certain matter."

"Well then, tell him he can help by signing up to join the Army then." Ironwood dismissively said.

"He says that matter is in regards to Winter Schnee, Sir."

Ironwood froze at those words, looking up to the Soldier in question. Winter Schnee had gone missing on a routine operation nearly a month ago, and all traces of her whereabouts unknown. He had wanted to send troops in to search for any sign of her, but nearly every time they did the weather suddenly turned against them, and any possible sign of where she was had disappeared. He refused to give up hope though, he would not declare her KIA until he had actual evidence to go off of.

"Tell him to come in." Ironwood ordered, the Soldier saluting before closing the door behind him.

Ironwood pushed his chair back, giving ease of access to one of the many drawers on the desk. He pulled it open, picking up a glove within and placing it on his robotic hand, flexing the mechanical appendage as he did so. Few knew about his cyberisation, and he didn't want to spook the man involuntarily with his false limb.

The door opened again and the Soldier stepped through, stepping to the side to allow the newcomer enough space. In walked a young man, perhaps in his early thirties at best, his thick blue hair draping down to his shoulders. He wore a navy blue longcoat which was buttoned up, his trousers, boots and gloves a pleasant shade of brown. As the man turned to thank the Soldier for his assistance, Ironwood couldn't help but feel as though he knew the man from somewhere before.

And then it struck him. He was present at the Schnee Manor, the night of the fund-raiser. He had been speaking with Weiss mere moments before her outburst. She seemed to be fine with his company, so for the moment he did not suspect anything sinister. Still, his hand reached tentatively for the Pistol hidden at his desk, just in case.

"Thank you Soldier, that will be all." Ironwood thanked, signalling for the Soldier he was free to leave the room.

"Sir." the Soldier saluted, quickly stepping out of the room and closing the door. The two waited until the Soldier was well out of earshot, before the man turned to Ironwood and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, my name is Kalec." the man, Kalec, announced, standing up straight as he spoke.

"I recall you at the ball, talking to the Lady Schnee." Ironwood stated matter of factly, pointing somewhat accusingly at Kalec as he spoke.

"Yes, a regrettable night I must say." Kalec replied somewhat sympathetically. "Both for the Lady Schnee and the need for such an event in the first place."

"Let's not mince words here Kalec." Ironwood began, stopping as he sat up straight, no doubt looking like a fidgeting child in the process. "You claim to have information on the whereabouts of one of my operatives, correct?"

"Actually, I claimed no such thing." Kalec corrected, suppressing the urge to smile as the General's visible hand clenched tighter in frustration. "I came merely to offer my services in regards to the current whereabouts of your missing trooper."

"If you have one, hurry up and get to the point already." Ironwood warned through gritted teeth, his hidden hand moving ever closer to the concealed Pistol.

"Tell me, what exactly was Winter Schnee doing before her unfortunate disappearance?" Kalec pushed, folding his arms over his chest as he spoke.

"I'm afraid that's classified Military information." Ironwood stated factually. "I couldn't allow such a breach in protocol."

"I'm not asking about her mission objective, General." Kalec explained, causing Ironwood to raise an eyebrow in question. "What was she doing when she was not on duty?"

Ironwood frowned at the question, one hand going to his chin as if in deep thought. He tried to think back to how Winter would spend her free time, and it became apparent to him that she never really had any free time. Of her own volition, she often spent the majority of her time on duty, claiming that a Soldiers work was never done. Hell, there were actually times when he would have to order her to take a break, lest she push herself too far. But in the weeks leading to her disappearance, her mind was preoccupied with something else...someone else.

"She was investigating something-no, someone..." Ironwood murmured, trying to recall any information Winter may have told him. "I think it was the Lady Prestor..."

"Is that so?" Kalec asked, tilting his head slightly to the side. "Do you know why?"

"She was somewhat concerned by her lack of a history..." Ironwood began. "She was worried that she was manipulating her family..."

"Interesting..." Kalec murmured quietly, his eyes narrowed in deep thought. "And what of her disappearance? What can you tell me of that?"

"I've already told you, that's classified information." Ironwood repeated, leaning forward slightly as if to emphasise the point.

"I need to know this information, General." Kalec argued, stepping towards Ironwood's desk and leaning forward on it with both hands. "You need to trust me with this information...like how I'm trusting you not to use that Pistol hidden under your desk."

Ironwood's eyes went wide as he retracted his hidden hand from the Pistol, placing it instead on the desk with his other. He stared long and thoughtfully over whether to trust the man in front of him as he said. After nearly a minute or two of waiting, he finally sighed, shaking his head slowly.

"She was on reconnaissance on what was a suspected Twilight stronghold deep in the mountains, in the ruins of Gundrak." Ironwood quietly responded, so quiet that he was unsure if Kalec had even heard him. When the man gave no indication to repeat himself, Ironwood continued. "I'm not entirely sure of the details, but apparently they were ambushed by the Twilight's Hammer."

"There was a survivor?" Kalec asked, to which Ironwood nodded. "Who?"

"His name is Samuelson, a Major in the 7th Legion." Ironwood clarified, Kalec humming slightly to himself as he said the name. "I've trusted the man a lot in the past, he's a good Soldier at his core."

"General, don't you find it odd that this Major Samuelson just so happened to be the only survivor of this unit?" Kalec questioned, causing Ironwood to frown in irritation.

"Just what exactly are you suggesting?" Ironwood asked angrily. "That a man I've trusted for nearly my entire Military career just so happens to also be...what? A double agent for the Twilight's Hammer?!"

"I'm not suggesting anything at all General." Kalec defended, holding his hands up in surrender. "I'm just asking you to look at the facts."

"Which you are sorely lacking!" Ironwood nearly roared at Kalec, who didn't even flinch at the outburst. "I won't have you making baseless accusations against my men, not without the proof to back it up."

"I understand General." Kalec responded, nodding his head respectfully. "Please, just think on my words."

Then without so much as another word, Kalec left the room, leaving the General alone in his quarters. Ironwood sighed angrily as he tried to rid his mind of the accusations made against a man he trusted as a friend, but he couldn't. As much as he hated to admit it, there was some weight on the claim that Kalec had made.

When Samuelson had first returned and been debriefed, he had insisted he go see a medical officer about the injuries he had sustained. His armour had been split and fractured in so many places, and there was blood leaking from some of them. When the medics gave their final report, they claimed that the wounds had been made by a sabre, a duelling sabre to be specific. And then there was the mission itself. Samuelson had insisted on going on the mission, but only after he learned that Winter would be leading the foray. He claimed that he was going just to make sure that "the priss didn't break a nail". He had laughed it off as a joke back then, but now with the accusation…

He rid himself of the thought that Major Samuelson was a double agent. He'd known the man since basic, they were friends dammit! But still, the accusation still lingered in his mind. Part of him was telling him to just ignore the accusation that Kalec had made, to just brush it to the side and leave it there. But then he recalled something, something that had unsettled him at the time.

Some nights ago, whilst patrolling the parade ground, he came across an intruder, speaking some foul incantation at a small hastily made shrine. He tried to apprehend the intruder, but they had escaped, though not before dropping a small signet ring. A silver ring with a Lion's head on the band. A ring both he and Major Samuelson wore every day, though if memory served well, Samuelson hadn't worn his for some time.

A feeling of dread began to creep up his spine as he reached for the Scroll at his desk, activating it and calling one of his Lieutenants.

"Lieutenant, bring Major Samuelson to my quarters immediately." Ironwood ordered, the officer on the other end of the Scroll acknowledging the request before going offline.

Ironwood stood up and pulled the curtains back, glad to see that the worst of the storm had passed. He prayed that it was a symbol of what was to come. The door suddenly opened as both the Lieutenant and Major Samuelson stepped through, both of them fully armoured though the latter was not wearing his helmet, revealing his short hair and moustache and beard along with his hardened face.

"General Ironwood," the Major began pleasantly, turning to look at the Lieutenant next to him before shifting his gaze back at the General. "To what do I owe the pleasure."

"Major Samuelson," Ironwood began, trying his best to remain as straight faced as possible. "You're under arrest for suspected collusion with the Twilight's Hammer."

Samuelson's face fell immediately at the claim, his mouth slightly agape in shock. The Lieutenant next to him also seemed to be in shock, the officer taking a step back from the Major as if he was afraid he would lash out at him.

"General, this must be some kind of joke?" Samuelson finally said, his voice breaking slightly.

"I wish it were, but I have evidence that would suggest otherwise." Ironwood began, taking a seat at his desk, his hand already tentatively reaching for the Pistol hidden there. "A few nights ago, we had an intruder on sight, an intruder who escaped. All officers were summoned for a debriefing, but you failed to show."

"I already told you, I overslept!" Samuelson defended, his eyes practically begging to be believed.

"The intruder just so happened to also drop a signet ring. A ring you seemed to have misplaced." Ironwood stated matter of factly. "DNA testing hasn't comeback yet, but I'm certain that the evidence gained will prove the truth. Lieutenant, take Samuelson to the brig."

The Lieutenant slowly nodded, reaching over to grab Samuelson's wrist. And then it happened. Samuelson quickly grabbed the officers wrist, pulling him forward and causing him to stagger slightly. He then grabbed the officers combat knife, unsheathing it and stabbing him in the gut three times, the Lieutenant gasping in pain each time the knife was plunged into his gut. Then with lethal efficiency, Samuelson impaled the blade into the man's throat, twisting it as he pulled it out, ripping open the Lieutenant's throat to the world.

Ironwood stared in horror at the corpse of the Soldier, before turning to Samuelson, a crazed and maddened look in the Majors eyes. Without thinking, Ironwood reached for the Pistol and pulled it free, flicking the safety off as he aimed at the Major's head. With no hesitation he pulled the trigger...and nothing happened. Shocked, he pulled the trigger again, only for the same result. He stared dumbfounded at the Pistol, only to look up again upon hearing the maddened laughter of his former friend.

"The Twilight's Hammer sends their regards..." Samuelson hissed, twirling the knife into a reverse grip.

Then he lunged at the General.

 **00000000**

 **And done! Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either leave in your review or PM me. Next update will be July 7th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	7. The Seeker Of Truths

**Hello everyone, I'm back for another update. First, review response time. Hornofdesolation; thank you, I hope this chapter also pleases you. TheFelRoseOfTerror; you know, I think I'll just stick to C'Thun, Yogg-Saron, Y'Sharrj and N'Zoth thanks. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 7- The Seeker of Truths**

"The Twilight's Hammer sends their regards..."

Ironwood only just managed to register the meaning of those words when his former friend lunged for him, his eyes filled with murderous intent. The two collided, sending papers flying all over the room as Ironwood toppled backwards out of his chair and onto the floor. Immediately his Pistol was sent flying out of his grip, leaving him defenceless. Samuelson took full advantage of this, raising the dagger high over his head as he attempted to plunge the blade into Ironwoods chest.

With seconds to spare Ironwood raised an arm in defence, only just managing to block the blow. The Major tried to push down harder, his face straining with effort as he tried to fight against the Generals strength. Ironwood knew he couldn't hold out like this for long, all it would take was for him to let his guard slip even slightly and the Major would have a large enough window to strike a fatal blow.

Almost as if Samuelson knew this, he used whatever strength he was holding in reserve to force Ironwood's guard up, exposing his vulnerable torso. He raised the dagger up high, ready to plunge quickly into his chest. It was a mistake that Ironwood noticed, and one he was going to take advantage of. With little effort, Ironwood held out his robotic arm as the Major struck out with the dagger, the blade piercing through the palm of his hand.

He then twisted his wrist to the right, causing the Major to lose his grip on the dagger. With Samuelson disarmed, Ironwood delivered a swift head-butt to his former friend, his forehead striking his nose. Samuelson yelled in pain as he swiftly staggered up, unintentionally banging into the desk, causing him to yell out again. Pulling the dagger free from his palm and casting it aside, Ironwood sat up and tackled Samuelson, sending him tumbling over the desk and into the centre of the room.

Ironwood then began to punch Samuelson, striking at his face and stomach, the Major doing what little he could to protect himself. Ironwood continued to punch the Major, his knuckles becoming raw as his blood began to mix with that of the Major's, until at last he stopped, breathing heavily as he looked at Samuelson's broken visage.

The man's face as bruised and swollen, so much so that parts of it were beginning to split open, causing blood to spill out onto the carpet. His nose was also broken, initially from his head-butt, though the pummelling had made it worse. The sounds of footsteps rapidly approaching caused Ironwood to turn as the doors burst open, a pair of Atlesian Soldiers rushing in, Rifles raised.

"General Ironwood, are you all right?" one of the Soldiers asked, freezing upon seeing both the corpse of the Lieutenant and the half dead body of Samuelson on the floor. Immediately the two Soldiers aimed their weapons at the ex Major, fingers gripped tightly around the trigger.

"Stand down men. This traitor has a few questions to answer..." Ironwood ordered, before picking Samuelson by the straps of his armour and threw him against the desk, causing him to groan groggily in pain. "How long have you been with the Twilight's Hammer?!"

"Long enough...to get the job done..." Samuelson managed to mutter, before he twitched his jaw awkwardly, the sound of something cracking following it quickly.

Ironwood's eyes went wide in panic as he recognised that sound. Samuelson had just swallowed a suicide pill. Was he that dedicated to their cause? Samuelson began to smile as he saw the panic on Ironwood's face, a gap in his teeth where the suicide pill had been hidden.

"Where is Winter Schnee?!" Ironwood demanded, knowing that the traitor's time was short. "Did you kill her?"

"She'll wish...it was me..." Samuelson gurgled, foamy black liquid erupting from his mouth as he spoke, already the effects of the suicide pill taking hold. "You'll...never...find her..."

Samuelson then let out one final wheeze, spluttering up some more of the black liquid until his eyes rolled over, the last vestiges of life leaving the Major. Immediately the two Soldiers lowered their guard, taking a step back as Ironwood stood up, the General growling irritably as he did so.

"Give the Lieutenant here a proper burial," Ironwood ordered the two Soldiers, not even turning to acknowledge their presence. "He deserves that much."

"What about Major Samuelson, sir?" one of the Soldiers asked, gesturing with his Rifle to the dead body of the Major. Ironwood regarded the body only momentarily before turning to face the Soldier in question, the neutral expression on his face masking the anger and grief he felt within.

"Throw his body into the ocean for all I care." Ironwood replied, quickly leaving his office as he spoke. When he was clear of the two Soldiers, he released a mournful sigh, shaking his head in the process. Samuelson had been a good friend for many years, how had he not anticipated his betrayal? He brushed the matter to the side, it was a concern for another day. If what Samuelson had said about Winter had been true, then that meant there was still some hope.

There was still a chance that Winter Schnee was alive.

 **00000000**

Weiss had found the past few weeks with Narygos surprisingly welcome. After she had been disinherited by her Father, the outside world seemed to lose all interest in her. Even the servants didn't dote on her as often as they used to, save for Klein who seemed to be the only constant in her life save for the Blue Drake. Her brother had been the only family member to visit her chambers, rubbing his new title in her face, though he had only seen him once. Whenever she saw him outside her room, he looked...frightened, as if he were afraid that the very shadows themselves would leap out and kill him.

She knew very little about the business now that her future was no longer attached to its success, but what she did know was that business was surprisingly good, especially considering Ironwood's recent decision to halt all exports from Atlas. Where the company was getting their money these days was beyond her. And then there was the Lady Prestor. Weiss rarely saw the noblewoman, and when she did her twin Bodyguards were always nearby.

Weiss had done some research on the noblewoman's origins, and did find some information, though nothing ground breaking. Her family had originated from an outlying settlement known as Alterac, which had been swallowed up by the Sundering. Apart from that, there was nothing else known about her, no doubt any record of the woman having been lost along with her home. Too bad Lady Prestor hadn't been there when it happened.

Nonetheless, regardless of whether she had information or not, she always enjoyed it when Narygos visited her. He was pleasant company to have, even if he was a Dragon. The two would often exchange stories with one another, Narygos more often then not having the more interesting stories. He also spoke of his home, a place called the Azure Dragonshrine, where others like him lived. He promised to show her it one day, though claimed that the time wasn't right yet. Weiss also shared stories, including her conquest over the Arma Gigas, her initiation into Beacon, and of course, the biggest food fight in the history of food fights.

"The last thing I remember before waking up was my team-mate Ruby looking over me before crying out in a dramatic fashion." Weiss finished, laughing loudly as she recalled the good memory. Narygos also began to laugh, a throaty noise that should have been unpleasant to listen too, but wasn't. At least not to her. "Then as soon as I woke up half of the mess hall was covered in food."

"That sounds like a waste of food." Narygos chuckled, his pointed teeth glinting slightly in the light.

"It was..." Weiss sighed blissfully, chuckling awkwardly in the process. "I'm just glad I got to enjoy Beacon whilst I could before, well, you know..."

"Before Deathwing..." Narygos murmured grimly, a low growl rumbling from his throat.

Weiss said nothing for a while afterwards. Narygos had told her of the Dragon's name, of how he had once been a close friend of their leader, until he betrayed them, nearly wiping out the entire Flight in the process. It was a miracle that enough of their eggs had survived, let alone enough adults to care for them. It made her betrayal at Whitley's hands look petty in comparison.

Weiss was surprised about the cool, almost calm manner which the Dragon seemed to maintain. It was surprising to say the least, especially considering that there was a lot at stake personally for him. It almost reminded her of...of him.

"Is something the matter?" Narygos asked, quite easily guessing that something was wrong.

"No, it's nothing." Weiss lied, coughing into her hand in an attempt to clear her throat.

"Come on Weiss, you can tell me." Narygos insisted, leaning his head closer to Weiss, clear evidence that he was interested.

"Really, it's nothing." Weiss insisted, though it was rather clear that the Drake wasn't going to let. "Tell you what, when you take me to the Dragonshrine, then I'll tell you."

"I've already told you that now isn't a good time to go to the Shrine." Narygos reminded Weiss, before his eyes went wide in realisation. "You mean to say that you don't wish to talk about it?"

Weiss simply nodded, Narygos returning the gesture with a nod of understanding. There was an awkward silence between the two, broken only by the sound of Narygos' claws tapping on the marble floor.

"So, anything to report on the Lady Prestor?" Narygos finally asked, breaking the silence immediately.

"Unfortunately no." Weiss sighed, silently thankful that the awkward silence was gone. "If she is the Twilight's Hammer spy, then she's very good at covering her tracks."

"She has to be the spy, I'm certain of it. Especially after what my Master has told me." Narygos stated matter of factly, his brow furrowed as if in deep thought.

"I agree, but perhaps we've been approaching this from the wrong angle." Weiss stated, causing Narygos to tilt his head questioningly at her. "Hear me out. It's clear that Lady Prestor, if she is indeed in league with the Twilight's Hammer, is more then capable of hiding her tracks. But perhaps her bodyguards aren't."

"What are you suggesting?" Narygos asked, clearly interested in the proposal.

"Look, if Prestor is indeed a spy for the Cult, then her bodyguards are more then likely also involved. It would explain their over protectiveness of her, perhaps to get rid of her lest she becomes compromised or something." Weiss suggested, Narygos nodding his head in agreement. "If so, then perhaps they have a way to contact the other members of the Cult, to get new orders maybe. And maybe unlike Prestor, they're not as careful with that evidence."

"It's certainly possible, but it isn't without an element of danger." Narygos warned. "If her bodyguards are indeed members of the Cult, they may not show any restraint if they catch you. They could end up killing you."

Weiss froze momentarily. Narygos was right, if Prestor's bodyguards caught her snooping around in their quarters, they could just kill her. At least with the Lady Prestor she had enough sense to realise that if she were to suddenly disappear it would cause unwanted attention, a fact she was certain those thugs wouldn't consider.

"It's a risk I'm willing to take." Weiss replied matter of factly, Narygos sighing as he nodded his head.

"I see your mind is set on this. If I cannot dissuade you, then so be it." Narygos conceded. With a low growl, he began to rise up, stretching out with his forelegs as he did so. "I'm afraid I must leave you now. I will speak with you tomorrow, I bid you farewell until then."

"Farewell to you too, Narygos." Weiss responded, curtseying as Narygos returned the gesture with a bow. Without another word, Narygos turned and leapt out through the open window, disappearing quickly with a shimmer of magic. Weiss watched the sky with a content smile on her face, before closing the windows, unaware of the pair of eyes watching her from the rooftops…

 **00000000**

 **And that's that. Sorry this chapter is considerably shorter then others, had a bit of a writers block on this one. Anyway, liked it? Feel free to leave a review, and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Leave in your review or PM me personally. Next update will be July 21st.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	8. Chance Encounters

**Hello everyone. Sorry this took so long, laptop was taking an age to start up** **and I also wasn't feeling very well at the time I originally wrote this chapter** **. So, let's go to review responses shall we? Hornofdesolation; thank you for the comment, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 8- Chance Encounters**

Ironwood shivered slightly as the cold air of the City streets began to gnaw at his skin, chilling him in spite of the winter coat he wore. As he sat at the table outside one of the many small cafés that littered the streets of Atlas, he flexed his robotic hand, balling it into a fist before releasing the strain. He'd had it repaired after he'd gotten it damaged during his short fight with Samuelson, and it was different than it was before. Not as comfortable as it had been.

He blew hot air into his hands, rubbing them together in the process in an effort to keep his flesh and blood hand warm. He took at his watch in the process, growling irritably when he saw what time it was. Kalec was late.

After the betrayal of Samuelson, something that Kalec had predicted, Ironwood believed that the peculiar man may have more to offer. Perhaps he knew, or perhaps had an incline, as to the location of Winter Schnee. She was still alive, he knew it, he just had to find her. Why had the Twilight's Hammer wanted her dead? It both puzzled and unnerved him as to why the religious cult would want one of his operatives out of the picture. Perhaps she had stumbled upon something and knew too much, or perhaps she was just a distraction that needed taking care of.

"Can I get you a drink sir?" a chirpy voice asked, interrupting his train of thought.

Ironwood turned quickly coming face to face with a young waitress, a notepad and pen in hand, looking expectantly at him.

"No thank you." Ironwood dismissed with a wave of his hand, the waitress nodding before turning her head slightly to the right, puzzling Ironwood slightly.

"I'll have a coffee please, milk with no sugar." a voice next to Ironwood, causing his eyes to go wide in shock as he turned rapidly in its direction. Sat in front of him was Kalec, the younger man sat with one leg crossed over the other and a folded newspaper in his hands, the headline of which he was reading.

The waitress nodded before departing inside the café, leaving Ironwood and Kalec at the table. Moments later, the waitress returned with a cup of coffee in hand, depositing it at the table in front of Kalec, who thanked her before giving a small handful of Lien to the waitress in thanks, the young woman nodding her head gratitude before she left the two alone, counting the Lien as she went.

"What took so long?" Ironwood finally asked, Kalec not even turning his way to respond.

"I was held up. Nothing too serious." Kalec responded before he threw the newspaper in his hands onto the table towards Ironwood, who glanced down and sighed at the sight of the main headline.

 **GENERAL EVADES DEATH AGAIN, THIS TIME IN OWN SCHOOL!**

Ironwood looked back up at Kalec, who returned the General's gaze with an eyebrow raised. Ironwood then proceeded to push the newspaper back towards Kalec, who plucked it off the table before rolling it up and throwing it into a nearby bin.

"How did you know?" Ironwood asked, Kalec not answering the General at first. "About Samuelson?"

"Call it an educated guess." Kalec off handedly stated, much to the General's irritation. "I truly am sorry about him. I know that you were friends."

"I still can't believe he would betray me like this." Ironwood sighed with a frown, shaking his head as he spoke. "I know he'd become more inward after Beacon fell, but to go to the Hammer?"

"The attack by Deathwing on Beacon was meant to demoralize us." Kalec stated matter of factly to the General. "Such an attack would cause people to look for shelter and guidance, both of which the Twilight's Hammer were offering."

"Deathwing? The Dragon?" Ironwood asked, to which Kalec nodded. "Honestly, I don't give a damn if that things name is Doodlewing, he's a threat that needs to be taken care of."

"In good time, General." Kalec reassured, holding his hands up slightly in a halting motion. "But there are other threats that need taking care of first, one of which is in the City."

"What do you mean?" Ironwood demanded, leaning forward intently.

"The Twilight's Hammer have a major player in the City, one of which is in Atlas' high society. An agent I believe to be Lady Katrana Prestor." Kalec answered, to which Ironwood raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Lady Prestor an agent of the Twilight's Hammer?" Ironwood asked in shock. "That's a very serious accusation you're making. I suppose you have the proof to back such a claim?"

"Not yet, but I will have some soon enough." Kalec replied, to which the General sighed before shaking his head. "Besides, I believe that there is someone who might agree with me on this matter."

"Winter?" Ironwood slowly asked, to which Kalec once again nodded.

"As you told me, Winter was investigating Lady Prestor before her disappearance." Kalec stated matter of factly. "And she disappeared on a mission that a member of the Twilight's Hammer just so happened to be the only survivor of."

"Before he died, Samuelson confirmed that Winter was still alive, but that mission was months ago." Ironwood said, to which Kalec hummed in contemplation. "How do we know that she is still alive?"

"We have to have faith, General." Kalec replied. "Have you checked her last known whereabouts?"

"Multiple times, but the weather in Atlas makes tracking nearly impossible." Ironwood answered. "We've checked everywhere...except one place."

"Only one place?" Kalec asked, to which Ironwood nodded. "Why haven't you checked there?"

"It's forbidden grounds." Ironwood replied solemnly, his voice dangerously quiet. "A massive battle took place there during the early days of the Mantle Empire, countless lives were lost. No man has set foot on that ground and returned the same."

"General, we have to look there." Kalec demanded, ignoring the General's concerns. "What is this location?"

The General did not answer at first, staying silent for many minutes. Eventually he turned his head to see if anyone was paying attention, before leaning closer to Kalec to reveal the answer. And when he did, Kalec immediately understood the General's concerns.

"The Temple City of Gundrak."

 **00000000**

Weiss peeked her head around the corner, her eyes darting the corridors for any sign of either Prestor or her bodyguards. There was none. With a sigh of relief she gracefully made her way through the corridors, making sure that she wasn't attracting any attention to herself. Her heels clicked on the marble floor, echoing loudly with every step she took. She cursed herself for not wearing different shoes, but what was she going to do about it now?

She slowed her pace, her footsteps muting ever so slightly with her slower walking speed. She stopped at the corner, knowing full well that behind it was Prestor's quarters, and most likely her bodyguards. She peeked her head out subtly, quickly glancing before retracting her head. She'd seen no sign of the bodyguards. She looked again, this time leaning her head out more bravely, confirming her first look.

Prestor must be out somewhere if the bodyguards weren't here, they were always by her side. She made her way towards the door, grasping hold of the door handle and twisted it anti-clockwise. It didn't even budge, causing her to growl in annoyance. It was locked, as she suspected it would be. It was a good thing then that she had her weapon at hand.

She slowly drew _Myrtenaster_ , the weapon rasping slightly as it came free from the scabbard. She flicked the revolver to the Gravity Dust chamber, and pointed the tip of the blade at the doors lock. A black rune hovered over the lock, before she began to twist the blade in the same direction as she had tried to open the door, the rune doing likewise. At about a quarter of a turn she heard a resounding click, suppressing the urge to celebrate. Getting in was the easy part.

With the lock no longer an obstacle, she sheathed _Myrtenaster_ and opened the door, making sure to close it quietly behind her. She then began to feel around at the wall, until her hand came into contact with a light switch. She flicked the switch, quickly filling the room with light, clearing her vision.

The room was spacious, grand as well. One would think she was the owner of the house with a room this extravagant. At the far end of the room were a pair of doors, that led to the bedrooms of Prestor and presumably her two bodyguards. She approached the one closest to her, opening the door quickly and nearly doing a double take. The rooms of the bodyguards was a stark contrast to the rest of the apartment, with simple furniture and a pair of beaten down beds that looked as though they were broken. It also smelt of charcoal and another smell that made her nearly retch. She followed the stench of the latter, leading her to one of the two beds, specifically under it.

She dropped to her hands and knees, noticing that whilst the beds looked to be in a sorry state, the quality of the wood was fine. It was as if something extremely heavy had been sleeping on it, but what was big enough to break it? She pushed the question out of her mind as she caught sight of what she assumed was the source of the foul smell, at least she assumed it was considering the swarm of flies buzzing around it. Rather than reach out and grab it, she drew _Myrtenaster_ out, the revolving chamber flicking to the Fire Dust as she cast a rune to illuminate the area.

Under the bed was a rotting deer head, part of it black as if it had been burned, strips of flesh missing revealing bloody bone, the lifeless eye staring blankly at Weiss. She nearly through up there and then, her hand going to her mouth as she felt herself gagging and retching in horror. She drew her sword back, the light from the blade going out as she quickly vacated the room, taking a deep breath of fresh air.

She still couldn't believe what she had seen, just thinking about it made her sick. Still, despite the rather vile find, there was nothing in there that would suggest that Prestor was in league with the Hammer. Perhaps it would be an idea to search her room before she left. She approached Prestor's room and opened, thankful that at least her room was in as fine a condition as the rest of the building.

The queen sized bed had been made, and the furniture was polished and of an upper class society. There was a number of books that had been read quite fervently, though none of them appeared to be religious in nature. Her eyes were drawn to a book on Prestor's dressing table, a purple hardback book with the year written in gold on the front. A diary.

She picked it up, her eyes skimming the pages as she flipped through them. Nothing incriminating whatsoever, just multiple extracts where she prayed that her Father was proud of the work she was doing. Seeing that made her somewhat sympathetic to Prestor. It seemed everyone had a Father they wished to please. Seeing as the diary was of no use to her, she tossed it back on the table and was nearly ready to leave there and then when something caught her eye.

On the bedside table were two glass orbs, one purple, the other black. She walked towards the table, first picking up the purple orb. It was small, small enough to fit in the palm of her hand, and seemed to be nothing more but a glorified paperweight, if that.

But it was the black orb that truly caught her attention. It was slightly larger than the other orb, and heavier too she realised when she picked it up, requiring the use of both her hands. The closer she looked into the orb, the sooner she realised that the orb itself wasn't black, but what was inside it was. There was a thick black mist that swirled within the orb, at a rate so rapid it seemed as though the orb couldn't contain the power within. It was then that the mist began to glow within, almost as if a small fire was trapped within.

She immediately made to put the orb down, but she was suddenly frozen, her body unable to do anything save for hold the orb and stare at it. Her limbs refused to obey the pleading of her brain, and tears began to fall down her face as a sense of fear and dread overcame her. Then there was pain, as a shape began to form in the mist, and to her horror she felt another presence in her mind. One filled with nothing but contempt for her.

Baleful orange-yellow eyes, like liquid fire, glared at her, filling Weiss with fear as she recalled those eyes. A mammoth jaw, made of black metal, opened slightly in the hint of an enraged snarl, and Weiss immediately recoiled. She knew that face, she had seen it before. And then it spoke, and Weiss could feel her entire being shake in uncontrolled dread.

" **Who dares call upon the Lord of the Black Flight?!"**

Weiss couldn't answer. She wouldn't answer. It was then that Weiss felt a surge of pain in her mind, causing her to let out a strangled scream as she dropped to her knees, the figure within opening its mouth slightly in the hint of a deranged smile, almost as if it relished the pain. The pain began to increase tenfold, until it felt like red hot knives were being driven into her brain and at long last she let out a scream of pure pain and horror. The face within began to laugh cruelly, relishing every decibel of the scream. But slowly, the laughter began to die down, almost as if the figure within was realising something.

" **Who are you, foolish mortal?! How did you gain access to this orb?!"** the figure within demanded. Weiss remained silent, her face glistening with both tears and sweat. **"Answer me fool, or I will deliver unto you a pain the likes of which you have yet to experience!"**

"I...won't...tell you...anything..." Weiss managed to say, her voice hoarse from screaming for so long. The face within the smoke let out a low growl of annoyance, as if contemplating her words.

" **Then you will die here and now."**

More pain began to flood through Weiss once more, as she felt the figure began to tear away the mental barriers around her mind, tearing into her sanity and causing fresh pain surge through her. She had to let go of the orb, it was the only thing that was linking her and the figure together. She tried to will her body to let go of the orb, but her hands seemed to be glued to the orb. She could feel her limbs beginning to move again, as if the figure within was focusing all its power on killing her rather than keeping her locked in place.

With her limbs once again under her control she raised the orb over her head and with a pure cry of both rage and adrenaline, she slammed the orb onto one of the bedposts, shattering the orb and dispersing the mist within, which she now realised was smoke. She fell to the ground, her body exhausted, and her mind rent. The last thing she remembered before darkness claimed her was someone barging into the room and rushing towards her.

 **00000000**

 **And done. Once again, sorry this chapter was late but what you gonna do? Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either PM me or leave in your review. Next update should be August 4th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	9. Gundrak

**Hello everyone, and welcome to the next update. Review response time now! Shadowwolf1997; yes, yes it is. And Kaiju Alpha; shhh you! Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 9- Gundrak**

Ironwood walked the deck of the Bullhead, chambering a round into his revolver and checking its sights. Sat around him were multiple Atlesian Soldiers, each one chambering ammo into their Rifles, Shotguns and Pistols. Despite the reassurance from Atlas' top robotics experts that the disaster at the Battle of Beacon wouldn't happen again, he still didn't feel safe around the Atlesian Knight-200's. Besides, he would trust a man at his side more than a robot to make calls.

Ironwood gazed at his troops, who were now making final preparations, either checking one another's armour or counting ammo. They wore the standard issue BDU, with a few minor altercations to accommodate the winter climate, such as fur lining at the joints and balaclavas around the mouth and nose, completely hiding their faces. Ironwood himself wore the same armour, minus the helmet and balaclava, silently holstering his pistol as he walked towards the wild card on the VTOL.

"You didn't have to come," Ironwood told Kalec, the man simply glancing up to face the General. "Me and my men are more than capable of handling ourselves."

"That may be, but I'm not willing to risk that." Kalec simply replied. "Besides, if it's my safety you're worried about, I can handle myself well enough, thank you."

"You're not even armed." Ironwood retorted, turning slightly to unstrap his combat knife from its sheath, flipping it in the air before holding out the handle to Kalec. "At the very least take this, just in case."

Kalec took the knife from the General's grip, holding the weapon up to inspect the blade, admiring both the groves in the blade and the serrated teeth of the weapon. He then flipped the knife into the air, catching it by the blade before handing it back over to the General. Reluctantly, the General took the knife back, sliding it back into its sheath.

"So General, what do you know of Gundrak?" Kalec asked, watching the General's face for any visible facial cues.

"Not much I'm afraid." Ironwood admitted, gazing out of the window of the VTOL into the snow covered mountains beyond. "According to history books, it was the seat of a vast Empire pre-dating even Mantle. Then Mantle came and destroyed it, wiping out its populace. Legend has it that at night, you can see the spectres of those who fell, still fighting in what appears to be an endless struggle."

"Let us hope they are merely legends." Kalec responded grimly. "The dead are a foe you do not want to face."

" _General, we are approaching the LZ. It's a little hot, but we should be able to manage."_ the voice of the pilot crackled through Ironwood's intercom, the General raising his wrist to his face to respond.

"Solid copy, how are we on the weather front?" Ironwood asked, awaiting a response from the pilot.

" _Clear skies ahead but be advised, there's a storm on the horizon to the north. Looks like it's stationary but be on the lookout."_ the pilot finally replied.

"Dammit, that's where we're headed..." Ironwood cursed under his breath, sighing silently before replying. "Copy that, over and out."

As the link disconnected, Ironwood could feel the shift as the VTOL began to drop slowly, the ground below them becoming closer and closer with each passing second.

"All right men, listen up." Ironwood ordered, gaining the attention of the soldiers in the cargo bay immediately. "We are heading into uncharted territory on a search and rescue op. You all know who we're looking for, and you all know why you've been selected. You men are the best of the best and as a result that is what I expect from all of you."

"What does recon say about where we're headed sir?" one of the soldiers asked, his voice muffled slightly by his balaclava.

"We don't have any corporal." Ironwood admitted, though there was no reaction to this news. "So check your corners, and watch your six. Remember your training, and you'll do just fine. Understood?"

"Sir yes sir!" the soldiers all chorused at once, earning a nod of approval from the General.

"That's what I like to hear." Ironwood declared, before turning towards one of the soldiers. "Sergeant, when we land you and I will take point, understood?"

"Yes sir, General." the sergeant replied in a gruff voice, nodding his head in the process.

" _Landing in five"_ the pilot said over the main intercom. There was a groan in the aircraft as it slowly descended to the ground, the ships engines blowing away snow that had already encompassed the area. _"Opening the hatch."_

The ramp at the back began to drop and the General and sergeant moved out, Pistol and Rifle at the ready, as soon as their boots touched the powdery snow, the rest of the soldiers began to follow, along with Kalec. With every step they took the snow crunched and cracked beneath them, the soldiers scanning the ominous mountains. Every so often they would come across a snow fox or a lone wolf, but the canine animals quickly scattered at the sight of them. The skyline was clear for the most part, the rising sun in the east casting light upon the white snow, causing it to shine and sparkle.

But then they came to the blizzard, causing their sight to become limited. Were it not for the fact they were packed so tightly together, the soldiers would have easily scattered and become lost. Even then, they knew something was amiss. This storm was not natural. It was too thick, even by Solitas standards. Something or someone was causing the storm to thicken. Soon however, the blizzard began to lessen, if only lightly. And it was there that they saw the first signs of the lost civilisation.

Before them were large stone hewn steps that led up to a plateau, surrounded on all sides by broken down walls. Surrounding them were old siege engines of the early Mantle Empire, covered in snow and frozen in place. There were the frozen skeletons of Mantle Soldiers here as well, the cold weather having been so intense that some had frozen in the position they had died in, along with the skeletons of large hulking creatures that none of them recognised.

They began to climb up the stone stairway, each one of them being careful to mind their step, knowing one misstep was the difference between life and death. Eventually, the party reached the top of the stairway, greeted with a vast open space, surrounded by multiple broken down structures of some unknown architecture. There were more siege weapons, both of Mantle make and he unknown race, and even more dead. Rotten wooden masks and spears hung from the walls, all of them either splitting apart or covered in ice. Ahead they could see a large temple like structure, the once grand towers having collapsed in on themselves, and the proud banners having snapped away in the frigid winds.

Ironwood silently signalled for his men to stay close and quiet, moving towards one of the more intact structures. They had to check every structure, it was the only way to be sure of Winter's fate. As they entered the vast structure, they soon realised just how much more intact this one was than the rest. Not only that, but there was a more disturbing fact. Unlike the rest of the complex, the masks on display here were in much greater condition, and the braziers were lit. And along the corridors, multiple bone effigies had been constructed, made up of the bones of many things. Wolves, bears, leopards, mammoths, hawks...humans. He approached the nearest of the human effigies, the skull painted with multiple blue swirls and patterns. He gazed at the construct, his eyes immediately gazing at what was around its neck.

Dog tags. Lots of them.

He gingerly fingered the military neck piece, before pulling it free with a sharp tug. Some of the names he didn't recognise, but others he did, all of them having being reported missing. Someone, or something, was still here, hunting down whoever entered these grounds.

"Keep your eyes peeled men." Ironwood whispered, some of the men nodding in response.

He slowly began to creep forward, making sure his footfalls didn't crunch the snow beneath him too loudly. More braziers and effigies littered the hallways, as well as more of the masks hanging precariously from the walls. Ironwood wasn't certain, but he swore that some of the eyes on the masks were watching them. It was then that the group turned a corner and froze immediately at the sight before them.

Before them, bound to wooden poles were the flayed bodies of men and women, bound in various positions. Some were strung out like scarecrows, some left to dangle by either their wrists or ankles, while others were simply bound to the poles. Some remnants of the clothes they wore in life remained, identifying them not only as Atlesian soldiers, but to the surprise of many, members of the Twilight's Hammer.

"My God..." Ironwood murmured, slowly walking towards one of the nearest bound victims, what remained of their face contorted in pure pain and horror, implying that they may have been alive when they were flayed. "What could do this?"

"I don't know," Kalec replied as he moved to inspect another pole. "But we should keep moving."

It was then that they heard the crunching of snow, causing everyone to scan the area in a panic. There was a burst of automatic fire as one of the soldiers suddenly began to fire at the top of the wall, the bullets chipping away the stone structure.

"Shit! I thought I saw something!" the soldier stammered, his Rifle barrel smoking as he whipped it left and right.

"Defensive formations!" Ironwood ordered, drawing his Revolver and switching the safety off.

The soldiers all drew into a circle, their weapons raised at the top of the walls, the snow around slightly hindering their sight. It was then there was a sharp whistling sound, followed by a cry of pain and gunfire as everyone spun around to see one of the soldiers dead, his body held in place by the shaft of a large hunting spear. The soldiers immediately entered a firing line and began to fire upon the location where the spear seemed to originate from. The bullets pulverised the top part of the wall, sending snow and concrete onto the ground. It was then that a large shadow was cast before them, and a large hulking figure wielding a great-axe landing next to the firing line.

The figure was tall, almost taller than some of the larger Faunus variants, and muscular too. Their skin was an icy blue colouration, with leather and bone armour covering most of their body. Their face at first appeared to be that of a wolfs, with large elephant like tusks sprouting from its mouth, but it was then that they realised that it was in actuality a helm of some sort.

Before any of the soldiers could properly react, the monstrous figure swung out with its great-axe, laughing maniacally as it cleaved one of the men nearly in two and sent his corpse tumbling into the others, before the figure then pierced the gut of another soldier with the blade of his axe, sending him over his shoulder with little effort. A soldier with a Shotgun began to fire rounds into the creature, who staggered back slightly at the initial onslaught, his armour mostly protecting him from the brunt of the attack.

Realising the danger, the creature turned and sprinted behind the corner, the soldier following close behind.

"Hold position!" Ironwood roared, the soldier immediately restraining himself and stepping back slightly, chambering more rounds into his weapon.

It was as he was doing this that the attacker descended from above yet again, cleaving the man in twain with no effort. The soldiers began to charge the creature, though it began to swing its axe in warding arcs, catching a few of the soldiers with the tip of the blade, causing them all to step back precariously. It was then that the creature made a target of Kalec, charging him and bringing its axe overhead for a lethal strike.

As the axe descended however, there was a flash of purple light, followed by the splintering of wood and metal, and a guttural cry of pain. When the light cleared, Kalec stood unharmed, his hands glowing with a purple light, the creature staggering back, its axe shattered, part of the blade impaled in its gut. With a growl it pulled the shard free, red blood oozing out in response.

The creature then began to roar at Kalec in a harsh and ugly language, before charging him. Ironwood raised his Revolver and fired, the bullet hitting the creature in its head and sending it flying to the side, dead. Ironwood let out a sigh of relief before turning to the sergeant, who was ripping the dog tags of his fallen comrades off.

"Sergeant, how many?" Ironwood asked, holstering his Revolver in the process.

"Four dead and three walking wounded, sir." the sergeant replied grimly.

"Have the wounded patched up, and take the ammo and dog tags of the dead." Ironwood ordered, the sergeant saluting in response before returning to his grim task. Ironwood then walked over to Kalec, patting him on the shoulder. "You okay?"

"Like I said General, I can handle myself rather well." Kalec simply responded, before moving over to the corpse of the creature, turning it over with his boot.

The wolf pelt covering most of its head had fallen off, revealing an almost human face, the long tusks erupting from the creatures mouth just under its elongated nose and long ears. Its face was also covered in white and black war paint, resembling that of a skull.

"Incredible, I thought they were all dead..." Kalec murmured to himself. The claim was somewhat of a lie, for he and his brethren knew of the danger lurking within, but he feigned ignorance for the General's sake.

"You know what this thing is?" Ironwood asked.

"If I'm correct, this here is an Ice Troll." Kalec responded, seemingly analysing every detail of the dead creature. "They were the original inhabitants of this place before Mantle came, if the history books are correct."

"Well this thing just cut through four of my men like they were made of paper mache!" Ironwood bitterly replied. "Are there any more of them out there?"

"Impossible to say, this one could have simply been a lone wolf of some sort." Kalec answered, looking around for any sign of more Trolls. Thankfully, there were none.

"We need to keep moving, search every inch of this complex for Winter." Ironwood stated, looking around himself. "She has to be here, I'm certain of it."

"Then we had best keep moving." Kalec summarised, earning a nod of acknowledgement from the General.

"All right men, listen up." Ironwood called out, causing the soldiers to turn and face their General. "There may be more of those things out their, so we need to keep our eyes peeled and watch our six. We've already lost four men, let's not let that number get higher."

The soldiers all nodded in agreement and the group began to move in unison again, with the wounded being in the centre, flanked by the remainder of the soldiers. As they crept forward, Ironwood suddenly held a fist up, halting the line. He peered around the corner, catching sight of three Ice Trolls sat around a small fire, these three even more heavily armoured than their attacker.

He cursed silently at the circumstances before casting his gaze around the area. There were no other passages that led into the chamber, and the corridor they were travelling in simply cut straight ahead, bypassing the room altogether. He silently signalled for his troops to quietly bypass the room, which they did so, slowly and one at a time. When Kalec strode past the room, he could hear the Troll's speaking in their ancient language. Whilst the others no doubt couldn't decipher a word of it, he could, and what he heard troubled him.

"Ya tink de Zandalari boss mon be speakin da truth?" the first Troll asked in a thick accent. "Dat dey gonna help restore da Empire's?"

"How should I know?" the second Troll replied, sharpening his axe with a whetstone. "I heard da City o' Gold be sinkin' beneath da waves."

"Betta hope dose Zandalari be havin' gills mon." the third Troll laughed evilly, much to the chagrin of the other two. "Why should we care about dem? Dey left us ta die in de cold."

"De Zandalari be wisest of all da Trolls, so show some respect, eh?" the second Troll chastised, pointing his axe at the third Troll, who simply grunted. "One ting be certain, times be changin'. Hopefully for da better."

Kalec was troubled by these words. In all these years he'd never heard anything of the Zandalari reaching out to the remnants of the fallen tribes. It was generally unheard of. The fact that these three Trolls were speaking of an emissary from Zuldazar itself was disturbing to say the least, especially considering his Bronze cousins shared the same land as the Trolls. Why had they not reported such an incident? Did they even know? One thing was for certain though, and that was that the Troll was right.

Times were changing.

 **00000000**

 **Hope you liked the chapter and the introduction of the Trolls into this AU. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either PM me or leave in your review. Next review will be August 18th. See you all in BfA and remember, FOR THE HORDE!**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	10. Tying Loose Ends

**Hello everyone, and boy what a week it's been! I hope you're all enjoying BfA as much as I have been, and are looking forward to that Azshara Warbringer short (can you just release it now Blizzard? Please?). Before we dive in, review responses first. Shadowwolf1997; thanks for the feedback and remember, Zandalar Forever! And Hornofdesolation; I would recommend reading my short analysis 'The Remnant Chronicles', it has a few hints for the future. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 10- Tying Loose Ends**

Darkness.

That was all Weiss saw for what seemed like hours. She didn't know how long she had been unconscious, or what had happened before then. All she could remember was the pain that had been inflicted upon her mind and soul. She could still feel the fires burning in her brain, and the sadistic laughter of her tormentor in the back of her mind. Eventually though, the laughter subsided, and the pain began to numb and she felt nothing.

It was then that she could feel the strength return to her body, and slowly but surely her lids began to flutter open. Her vision was blurred at first, but as her vision cleared, she realised that she was not in her chambers, and the bed she was laid on was stiff and uncomfortable. There was little light in the room, save for a few bedside lamps illuminating a few areas. She tried to rise, but felt a sudden sense of nausea overcome her and force her down again.

"Weiss? Are you all right?" a voice called in from her bedside. A voice she recognised. She turned, and was shocked to see the last person she expected.

"Whitley?" Weiss murmured quietly, not entirely believing what she was seeing.

"I'm so glad you're awake, sister." Whitley replied, letting out a relieved sigh as he held a tea-cup in his hand. He lent forward and placed the cup at her lips, the liquid within passing through her mouth and down her throat. Whatever it was tasted bitter, and nearly sent her flying forward in a coughing fit as it burned her throat.

"Wha-what was that?" Weiss asked, gagging slightly in an attempt to clear her throat.

"Just a tonic to make you feel better, that's all." Whitley answered, taking the cup away and placing it on the table.

"Where are we?" Weiss asked, looking around the room. It was hard to tell where she was for it was too dark to see, but it almost seemed familiar to her.

"In Winter's old room." Whitley answered solemnly, and it was then that Weiss finally recognised it. "I didn't know where else to go, I knew they'd be watching both our rooms-"

"What are you talking about?" Weiss asked, clearly confused. As she stared at Whitley for an answer, she noticed something in his eyes. He was afraid. "Who's watching?"

"Prestor, and her men! She tricked me into doing things!" Whitley answered in a hushed tone, his voice wavering slightly. "I should have known there was something dark about her, but I was overcome with...I don't know! It was like she was magnifying my worst traits and-"

"What do you mean she tricked you?" Weiss pressed, grabbing her brother's wrist. She could feel his pulse in quickening and she could see his eyes widen with panic.

"She made me do things, things that I regret." Whitley nearly sobbed, water starting to trickle down his eyes. "That woman...she's pure evil. I don't know how, but she was the one who caused your outburst and made me the Heir. I thought I could control her maybe, but I was wrong. And I think...I think..."

"Think what?" Weiss asked, fearing she already knew the answer. At first her brother couldn't even look at her, but eventually he lifted his head up, pure fear in his gaze.

"I think she killed Winter." Whitley finally answered.

Weiss stayed silent as the news sank in. She released her grip on Whitley's wrist and let her hand go limp. She'd always felt something was wrong with her that night, when she had been effectively disinherited. She had felt like an invasive presence was in her mind, controlling her emotions. Had those emotions been real? Of course, but she knew when to let those emotions show. And now this new accusation? She needed to know more.

"How do you know?" Weiss quietly asked, Whitley looking at her in surprise.

"It was something she said, how if I told Father about what she'd been doing, I would end up like her..." Whitley stammered, his face in his hands as he began to shake his head in regret. "This is all my fault, if I'd been strong like the two of you I-"

"Can still make this right." Weiss interrupted. Whitley looked up from his hands and simply stared at Weiss, waiting a response. "Look, I know we both don't get along with one another, but we're the only two who know the truth about Prestor and what she's done. And more importantly who she works for."

"We do?" Whitley asked in confusion, tilting his head slightly to match the tone of his voice.

"Well, I do, but you also know a great deal about what she's been doing this entire time." Weiss replied, to which Whitley nodded his head slightly in agreement to the statement. "We have to get this information to someone who can act on it."

"General Ironwood?" Whitley suggested, though Weiss shook her head.

"No, he's not in Atlas at the moment last I heard. Besides, he would demand more proof when all we have is our word." Weiss responded, causing Whitley to sulk slightly. "But I know someone who can help us."

"Who?" Whitley asked, to which Weiss looked around before answering.

"I can't tell you, not yet at least." Weiss told him, to which Whitley seemed to grow more nervous. "What time is it?"

"Time?" Whitley asked, to which he looked at his wrist watch, leaning forward to get a better look at it in the dark room. "It's about 11:30 in the morning."

"Good," Weiss said, to which she slowly began to get up, Whitley standing up in order to help her should she require aid. "In an hours time, meet me in my room. We're leaving."

"Leaving?!" Whitley nearly shouted before restraining his voice.

"Like you said, Prestor is watching our every move. It's no longer safe here." Weiss stated matter of factly, to which Whitley reluctantly nodded his head in agreement. "Gather whatever you need, and meet me in my room in an hours time. That's where someone who can help us will meet up with us and we can leave this place behind."

"Is there no other way?" Whitley asked, clearly uncomfortable with the situation. "Do we really have to leave the manor?"

"I'm afraid so." Weiss replied. In truth, she wasn't as afraid as Whitley clearly was. In fact, she was relieved that finally she would be free of the confines of the manor. She would certainly miss certain aspects of living here, but she missed her freedom more.

"All right then." Whitley finally said, nodding his head in affirmation. "I'll meet you then."

He then began to turn and leave, before freezing at the door, turning around to face Weiss, a forlorn look on his face.

"I'm sorry I've been a terrible brother to you Weiss." Whitley said, an apologetic look in his eyes. "I hope that in the coming weeks I can make it up to you."

"I hope so too." Weiss replied, nodding her head slightly.

 **00000000**

Lady Prestor kept her hood up as she walked through the high street, the soft breeze sending her cape billowing behind her. Neither of her guards were with her today, they had a...special assignment. She shifted her gaze to look around her, the only features not concealed being her eyes, the rest covered by the hood she wore. When she was confident no one was looking, she turned the corner down a dark alleyway, the only source of light being the sun up above.

The noise of the city began to quieten, until there was nothing. No noise whatsoever. Then there was a soft rustling coming from above, almost as if a weight was being shifted. A smile began to creep up on her face as she pulled the fabric away from her mouth, turning around to see a figure kneeling before her, garbed in black leather and cloth, an Elementium mask covering their face.

"What is thy bidding, my mistress?" the Twilight Assassin asked, his voice smooth as silk.

"I have a job for you and your brethren." Prestor announced, the Assassin not even shifting in the slightest. "You will find and isolate the target, and then execute them, quietly."

"Name the victim, and I shall obey." the Assassin replied, no emotion in his tone. Without saying anything, Prestor removed a key from the folds of her cloak and held it before the Assassin. They looked up and took the key from her hand, standing up as they inspected the key. It was then that the Assassin finally showed some emotion, as his eyes went wide in realisation. "A Schnee?"

"Weiss Schnee to be specific." Prestor clarified, the Assassin quickly saluting Prestor with respect.

"Do not worry, mistress. She'll be nothing but a cold corpse by the end of the day." the Assassin promised.

"Not yet," Prestor said, causing the Assassin to look at her oddly. "You will wait until tomorrow morning just before dawn. Then you will enter the manor using the secret passageway, which the key shall open for you. You will make your way to the holding room where you will escort the target to an isolated area out of the city limits and THEN execute her."

"As you command, mistress." the Assassin said, bowing before the Lady Prestor. It was then the Assassin stepped back and melted away into the shadows.

Prestor smiled again as she pulled the fabric over her mouth and nose again and re-entered the buzz of the city. The final steps of the plan had been set. Now all that remained was for the execution.

 **00000000**

"Are you sure that's everything, Miss Schnee?" Klein asked as he placed a bundle of food into a backpack before handing over the item to the person in question.

"Yes Klein, that's all." Weiss responded politely, taking the bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

Out of all the servants in the manor, she trusted Klein the most. She had told him about her plan to leave with Whitley, and that they would need some food and other supplies for the days ahead. In truth, she hadn't really thought the plan through in its entirety, but she decided that was a problem for later.

"I won't lie, I don't think this plan of yours is a good one." Klein openly stated, a frown marring his face. "But I won't stop you if it's what you truly want."

"It is." Weiss admitted, to which she stepped forward and hugged the small butler, who returned the gesture. "Thank you Klein, for everything."

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Schnee." Klein replied, before stepping back. "Now, off with you. And send Master Whitley my regards."

Weiss nodded before leaving the room and started to make her way to her quarters, she wasn't even a third of the way across when a familiar looking figure stepped out in front of her.

"And where do you think you're going?" one of Prestor's guards asked, to which Weiss tentatively took a step back.

"None of your business I'm afraid." Weiss bravely said, to which the guard simply sneered at her.

"Well how about I make it my business." the guard replied, to which he took a menacing step forward. Weiss immediately went to draw _Myrtenaster_ , only to realise she'd left the blade in her room when she had gone to grab some bags.

"I'm sorry, but I REALLY have to go now..." Weiss said as she tried to circle around the guard, only to fail as the guard stayed in front of her.

Realising it was now or never, she quickly sprinted forward, only for the guard to grab her and push her back, staggering her slightly. She tried again, though the guard quickly caught her and held her tightly in his grip. She began to kick at him, though her blows bounced harmlessly off his armour. It was then that he drew his head back and head-butted her, releasing his grip as he did so and sending Weiss spiralling back slightly.

That...hadn't hurt as much as she expected. Her brow was maybe grazed slightly, and her head hurt a bit, but aside from that she seemed to be okay. She lunged herself forward, and began to strike out at the guard in any way she could. Arms, legs, hands and feet were all weapons she used against her opponent, though it was about as useful as using a rubber hammer to hit a nail. Her knuckles soon began to grow raw from punching the wall of steel that the guard seemed to be, and that was when she noticed something very peculiar.

Whichever one of Prestor's guards they were, they were really bad at fighting!

Whilst Weiss was giving as best as she could in her current state all things considered, her opponent was being terrible. The most serious damage he had done was the head-butt at the start, and even that was weak. Everything after that had left a few red marks that would probably disappear given time.

And then it hit her. The guard wasn't trying to kill her, or even hurt her too much. He was simply trying to buy time. But for what?

 **00000000**

Whitley quickly hurried through the corridors, ignoring everything around him. He had packed everything he would need for whatever Weiss was planning for the two of them. All that was left to do was to meet his sister in her room. He eventually made it to Weiss' chambers, sighing in relief at the sight of the door. He went to knock on it, but the second his knuckle rapped against the wood, it opened slightly.

The door was open.

The thought unnerved him slightly, but regardless he stepped through, the door swinging wide open as he stepped through. He stepped through into the room, looking for any sign of his sister. There was none, save for her sword which was resting on her bed. It was then he heard the door suddenly close behind him, followed quickly by a loud click as the lock slid into place. He turned around slowly and froze in terror, dropping his bag in the process.

Standing in front of the door was one of Prestor's guards, his back towards him as he checked the lock on the door. And then he turned to face the young Heir, what sounded like a vicious snarl reverberating from his lips as he began to crack his knuckles.

"No one is here to save you now, little human..." the guard stated threateningly as he began to prowl towards Whitley with murderous intent.

Whitley at first didn't move, couldn't move. By the time he willed his body to move a limb, it was too late, the guard was upon him. With both precision and speed he began to hammer the young Heir, punching and kicking him. Every blow against him sent spikes of pain through him as the guards armoured knuckles tore through the fabric of his clothing, causing blood to drip from the fresh wounds. Then, he began to throw him into the furniture, breaking tables and splintering bedposts with little to no effort, until at last he was thrown onto the white marble floor, a pool of red forming beneath him.

With what little strength remained in his body, he began to crawl towards the door, his pitiful moans crying out for respite. He then felt a hand grip his ankle and pull him away, causing hi to gurgle out in protest as the figure then picked him up by the throat and held him there. And it was then that Whitley noticed what the guard was holding in his hand, and the realisation struck him.

It was Weiss' sword.

And then, without even a word of protest, he impaled the young Schnee upon the blade, Whitley gurgling and vomiting blood as he felt the blade get twisted inside him. And then he fell limp, his body giving up as his eyes rolled over, his head lolling forward. The guard began to sniff the young Schnee, before letting out a distasteful growl. He released his grip on both Whitley and the blade, the latter still impaled in his gut. And then he simply turned to leave, leaving the door closed but unlocked.

Now it was time to initiate the second half of the plan.

 **00000000**

Weiss knew she couldn't waste any more time fighting Prestor's thug. She didn't know what the man was stalling for, but it couldn't be good whatever it was. She just needed to get past him somehow. As the guard shoved her back again, Weiss readied herself. She feigned a move to the right as she charged forward, and the guard moved to intercept. Then she began to move to the left, and as before, the guard followed. At the last second, just as the man reached out to grab her, she leapt to the right and spun around him, kicking him in the back as she did so, sending him to his knees in the process.

Rather than stay to see if he was down, she simply turned to run. Whitley would be waiting for her now, and there was the high chance that they would both be in danger. So she continued to run, even when her body yelled for her to stop. She even didn't bother to see if Prestor's bodyguard was running after her. She only stopped when she saw the door to her room, panting heavily as she made to open the door.

"Whitley," Weiss began as she opened the door, quickly turning to close the door behind her. "Please tell me you're ready to-"

Weiss froze at the sight before her. Her room was in a mess, furniture splintered and broken. And blood, blood was everywhere, the majority pooled beneath a cold corpse impaled on the floor.

"Whitley!" Weiss shouted as she dropped her bag and hurried towards the still body of her brother, his eyes gazing up lifelessly towards the ceiling. With little effort she pulled _Myrtenaster_ out of his stomach, the thin blade drenched in blood, which was now beginning to stain her hands and clothing. She pressed a finger against his neck, and felt nothing. No pulse. He was dead.

"What have you done..."

Weiss froze in fear at the quietness of the new voice, turning rapidly to see her Father, Jacques, along with both of Prestor's guards. It was suddenly beginning to make sense. Why the one that attacked her had acted so weakly, almost as if stalling her. And why there had only been one in the first place. They had wanted to make it look like her and Whitley had been fighting, and now here she was, covered in light bruising and holding a sword covered in her brothers blood, who was dead at her feet. She had been set up.

"Father." Weiss weakly said, standing up as she could see her Father's rage increase. "I can explain."

"You can explain it to a judge, _daughter_!" Jacques spat back, Weiss flinching at the venomous tone of his voice. "You two, seize her!"

"With pleasure." the two men hissed in unison, drawing their blades as they encroached on the young Heiress.

She looked for an exit, for anything. But there was none.

Prestor had beaten her, and now she would suffer the consequences for losing.

 **00000000**

 **And done, what a chapter that was hey? Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either PM me or leave in your review. Next update should be September 1st.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	11. Blood In The Snow

**I'M BACK! I told you not to worry now, didn't I! Okay, maybe I didn't, but still! So sorry about last time, had a lot to do before going on holiday and not enough time to write up a decent chapter. There are no reviews to respond to (unsurprisingly) so I guess we might as well get into it. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 11- Blood In The Snow**

Arcurion watched as the hundreds of slaves and other workers heaved their pickaxes and other digging tools into the diamond hard ice before him. They had been working day and night ever since the new Commander, Executioner Gore, had taken command. So far, Arcurion was pleased with the progress that the Hammer was doing. He watched as one of the slaves suddenly keeled over, the slaves around stopping momentarily to watch, only to quickly return to their duties.

One of the slave drivers suddenly sprang forward, yelling incoherently at the man to get up. The slave tried, but his arms and legs were too weak to heave his body up. The slave driver then cracked out a barbed whip and began to strike the man with it, causing him to cry out in pain as each lash of the whip stripped layers of flesh from his bones. When it became clear that not even this would make the slave rise, the slave driver growled in disgust before whistling sharply.

A pair of Twilight's Hammer Cultists suddenly sprinted forward, picking the man up and dragged him away. The expired slave was as good as dead in the pits, but death seemed too enticing a reward for the slaves. Instead, those that had proved themselves useless in manual labour, had their souls ripped from their bodies and used as a resource for the dark magic the Cultists called upon. Even in death, the Cult still had a use for them.

Almost as soon as the expired slave had been removed, a newer, fresher slave was brought forward, the slave driver giving a quick overview of the slaves condition. Content with his new slave, he dismissed the guards that brought him and shoved the slave towards where his predecessor had been working. The new slave needed no incentive to start working, and began to chip away at the ice at a much faster rate than before.

When the Twilight Father had first ordered him to keep an eye on Gore, he had half expected the Commander to be lacking to his standards, and that he would have to personally take over the operation. But he was rather pleased to say that Gore had been true to his word, and he had even fully uncovered the item they were looking for. Already their artificers were busy trying to activate the item, though with little success so far. The reason the Cultists were still digging? Because they'd also found something else.

Buried deep within the ice, they'd found something else. Something ancient and powerful. If it could be turned to their cause, then the Blue Dragons were as good as dead. It seemed so long ago now when he first joined the Hammer. He could remember it vividly. He was on the streets, cold and alone. He had been disinherited by his father, cast out by his family...abandoned by the woman he loved. He had drawn himself inward, turning somewhat to religion for guidance.

And that was when the Twilight Father found him.

He had seen something in the weak boy that day, and had taken him in. He soon had a new family, a family he was eager to please. He also had information they would find useful. He told them where his father had hidden caches of treasure, where the most secluded Dust routes travelled. He'd even murdered for his new family, starting with his old one. Every death seemed to please them, especially the Twilight Father.

It had been the night before the Sundering that the Father had approached him, offering not only a seat at the Twilight's Hammer's council, but power unlike anything he had seen. He had been offered the chance to fuse himself with a spirit of Air, granting him power over the fury of the storm. But he wanted to go a step further. During the ritual, he drew upon the power not only of Air, but of Water as well. When the ritual was complete, his skin was ice, and the Element was at his beck and call. With his new form, came a new name. The boy was dead at long last, only Arcurion remained.

He still had memories of the boy locked away in his mind. But they were just fragments, pieces that didn't quite fit into a jigsaw. But the memories were a distraction, if they could be called that. He had seen how this world would end, and it was glorious. Whether they succeeded or failed here didn't matter in the long run, the Hour of Twilight would still come to claim them all. And so he made his way back to his chambers, turning his back on the dig-site, and the large bony claw protruding from the ice…

 **00000000**

Ironwood continued to lead his men through the ruins of Gundrak, his men and Kalec following his every move. They came across more Frost Trolls in their search, and each one was more heavily armed then the last. He didn't know how long they had been searching, but he could tell that his men were getting tired of running without rest. The cold was starting to set in, gnawing through their clothing and into their flesh and bones. They would have to stop soon, Ironwood just hoped they could find a safe place to do so.

They halted at another archway, this one seemingly leading into the centre of the complex. He signalled for the Sergeant to lead a group of men to the opposite side of the arch, which he did so quietly. Ironwood then turned his head to peek inside, and what he saw worried him.

There was a throng of Frost Trolls before them, all of them fully armed and armoured. Some went out on patrols, whilst others sat around fires, cooking whatever meat they had on a spit. But there was something else that made Ironwood cautious. Many of the Trolls were sat or stood around another Troll, but this one was different.

He stood tall and proud, and his armour was almost regal in comparison to the other Troll's. His accent was different, Ironwood could tell that much even with the language barrier between them, and his voice seemed to carry far and wide. Another two similar looking Troll's stood behind him, adorned in similar looking golden armour, and one of them seemed to be female. Or at the very least seemed to be female, whatever that meant for a Troll.

He turned to his men, all of them with the same clueless expression on their faces as to what the tall one was saying. All except Kalec. His face was wrought with worry, the frown on his face growing with every word the Troll said. There was a rapturous roar from the surrounding Troll's as they punched their fists in the air, the Troll speaker seemingly basking in the praise as they all began to chant something.

"ZANDALAR! ZANDALAR! ZANDALAR! ZANDALAR!"

What was Zandalar? A name? A place? A title?

Before he could question further, he heard a harrowing scream from with the courtyard. The Troll's paid it no heed, but Ironwood searched frantically for its source. Another cry came out, and this time Ironwood found its source, a small tent on the far side of the courtyard. There was another cry, though this time it was mixed with pitiful weeping, and Ironwood finally recognised the voice.

It was Winter's voice.

And as the crying continued, there was another sound, one that made him sick to his stomach. The sound of a Troll laughing and grunting in pleasure. Ironwood could feel the rage inside him build up as both noises continued, until at last only the crying could be heard, if only slightly. Then moments later a Troll stepped out, a satisfied look on his face as he readjusted his belt and leggings, before strolling away, whistling as he went. That was it, that was the last straw. There would be no more stealth, and there would be no mercy either. Not for these savages.

"Sergeant," Ironwood whispered, turning away to look at the soldier in question. "We're going in. I'll be the first to engage, follow through with the men after I charge. And under all circumstances don't let them enter that tent at the back."

"Yes sir." the sergeant responded, turning his gaze to the Trolls inside.

Ironwood hated to admit it, but they were severely outnumbered. In a straight up fight, they would be dead in minutes, if that. Their only advantages were their superior technology, but he'd seen how much damage a single Troll with an Axe could do. But they had something else to rely on as well, something far more valuable then tech or numbers.

The element of surprise.

He looked down at his belt, were along with the numerous ammo pouches were three grenades. He pulled one free and activated the timer. The grenade almost immediately lit up and began to let out a quiet chiming noise as it activated, then he threw it at a group of Trolls. It landed softly in the snow, the nearest Troll turning his head in confusion at the strange device. He then picked it up and held it out to the other Trolls around him.

Then it detonated, consuming them in a blaze of fury. Most of the Trolls were consumed by the blast, but others were knocked to the side. There was panic and confusion almost immediately amongst the other Trolls, as they turned their heads in every direction for the source of the explosion. He primed another grenade and threw it, this time at the gathered crowd of Trolls. It detonated in seconds, sowing even more panic. He primed his last grenade and threw it at a group of Troll warriors. Unlike the others though, they seemed to recognise the danger that the explosive was, quickly hiding behind their shields. When the grenade finally detonated, it only served to send the Trolls to the ground, but there was enough chaos now to take action.

Loading an armour piercing clip into his Revolver, he charged into the courtyard, blowing a Trolls unprotected head nearly clean off its shoulders with a single shot. The rest of his team charged in afterwards, yelling defiant battle cries as they fired upon the scattered Trolls. The smell of blood was thick in the air as the Trolls quickly fell to the merciless barrage of bullets. All of this lasted only for two seconds though.

Almost as immediately as the men of Atlas had the advantage, the tall Troll barked orders for the Frost Trolls to rally and fight. The panic and fear in the Trolls eyes suddenly gave way to savagery and fury. With primal roars the Trolls suddenly charged towards the Atlas Soldiers, and the entire courtyard was embroiled in a bloody free for all. There were cries of pain from both sides, and Ironwood soon found himself standing before the tall Troll, a tribal mallet in his hand.

"Ya dare ta stand against da might of de Zandalari, Son o' Mantle?!" the tall Troll barked, making Ironwood step back in confusion.

"You speak Common?" Ironwood asked, the tall Troll snarling in response.

"I speak all de tongues o' de world!" the tall Troll spat back, lowering himself into what was presumably a combat stance. "When I return ta Dazar'alor, I be bringing ya head as a trophy!"

Ironwood had no response and instead fired upon the Troll. The armour piercing round hit the Troll's shoulder, but the shoulder armour he wore protected him from the brunt of the blast. Before Ironwood could fire again the Troll let out a primal roar as he leapt forward, knocking the Revolver out of his hand. It then moved forward, hitting Ironwood in the gut with his shoulder before standing, sending Ironwood flying over the Troll and onto his back. The sunlight above blinded him, though his eyes quickly readjusted in time to see the Troll raise its weapon over its head.

Acting quickly, he rolled to the side, the hammer harmlessly striking the snow where his chest had just been. Before the Troll could recover, Ironwood kicked its knee, causing it to drop to the ground with a grunt. He then kicked the Troll's wrist, sending the hammer flying from its grasp before slamming his foot into the Troll's chin, sending it stumbling onto its back with a growl. Ironwood then leapt on top of the Troll and began to wrestle with it, the Troll trying its best in its current condition to fight back. Balling his hand into a fist, he punched the Troll in the head, and immediately regretted that decision. He let out a sharp cry of pain as he tried to fight off the numbing sensation surging through his hand.

The Troll seemed to capitalise on this, laughing menacingly as it quickly grabbed Ironwood by his coat and slammed his masked head against the General's. Ironwood's vision went white immediately, staggering onto his feet away from the Troll. His vision was blurred, and his balance was even worse. The Troll then kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying into a wall with a loud crash. By the time that Ironwood had gotten up, the Troll was already upon him. He punched him to the ground again, Ironwood stumbling away from the blows, the Troll laughing with every half-hearted strike it delivered.

By the time it had stopped, Ironwood was on all fours, gasping for air as blood slowly dripped from his lip. He turned and saw the tall Troll was now holding his hands in the air, and the wind began to twist and turn around him. Then lightning crackled in his hands and he thrust them forward, bolts of electricity surging towards Ironwood and arcing all over his body. Ironwood screamed in pain as the lightning travelled through his body, threatening to cook him from the inside. Then he felt his hand begin to thrum uncontrollably. His robotic hand.

An idea formed in his mind, and he began to stand up, in spite of the pain surging through him. The tall Troll began to feed more electricity into Ironwood, causing him even more pain, but still he strode forward. Then, when he was in arms reach, he pulled the glove off, revealing the robotic limb to the Troll, which had electricity arcing off of it even now. Before the Troll could fully register what was happening, Ironwood gripped the Troll's mask with his hand. The Troll began to scream in rage as it too began to feel the effects of its own spell. Even when it stopped, the electricity stored within the arm was still being fed directly to the Troll's head.

Suddenly, as if the raw power within was causing the Troll to seemingly overload, there was a flash as Ironwood was sent flying back. When he rose, the Troll's body was smouldering in the cold snow, but it was still alive, groaning groggily as it tried to rise, its once glorious mask now cracked and charred.

Ironwood then reached for the nearest thing, the Troll's own mallet, and charged forward. He swung the mallet at the Troll's head, causing it to snap to the side, shattering the Troll's tusk in the process. It then fell on its back, dead. Ironwood let out a heavy breath as he let the mallet slip from his grip as he surveyed the carnage around him. Bodies were everywhere, littering nearly every part of the courtyard, both Human and Troll. He knew that some of the Trolls would have fled when the fighting started, and they would be back with more of their kin. They would need to be quick.

He made his way to the tent at the back, stopping just outside the entrance. The sergeant was there, leaned against a stake at the entrance of the tent, a sword in his gut. Not too far away was the swords presumed owner, the sergeants dagger sticking out of their neck. He let out a soft sigh as he approached the corpse of the sergeant, kneeling down and removing the dog tag around his neck.

He then hastily made his way inside the tent, the open scenery of the courtyard replaced by the confines of the hide tent, a small camp fire in the centre providing the only source of warmth and light. There were some sleeping mats sprawled nearby, as well as a bowl of half eaten food, but his main focus was on the sole occupant of the tent.

They had been strung up by their wrists, thick rope binding them together as they hung there, with more rope around their ankles, which were fastened to a peg in the ground. Her once fine clothing was no more, just scraps clinging to her skin leaving her mostly naked, with a rope collar around her neck. Her white hair had fallen over her face, but Ironwood knew who it was.

"Winter?" Ironwood asked, brushing a strand of hair off the young woman's face. Almost immediately her eyes went wide with panic and fear, and she tried her best to pull away from the General.

"St-stay away you savage!" Winter almost hysterically cried, a fresh set of tears already dripping from her eyes. "I won't let you! I won't let you-"

"Winter!" Ironwood said firmly, grabbing hold of her by the shoulders, making her struggle even more. "It's me! Ironwood!"

"Ironwood?" Winter whispered, her struggling ceasing as she stared at the General, almost as if she didn't think he was there. Then she started to cry again, though this time she cried tears of relief. "Ironwood..."

"It's all right, I've got you." Ironwood reassured, taking his combat knife out and cutting the rope that held her suspended.

Immediately she fell forward, Ironwood catching her and carefully setting her to ground level. He then cut the rope around her ankles and grabbed the nearest sleeping mat, wrapping it around Winter who clung to it like a lifeline. He then began to untie the rope that was around her neck, flinging it into the camp fire.

"What happened Winter? How did you end up here?" Ironwood asked.

"Routine patrol." Winter began, pausing to take a mouthful of air before continuing. "We were attacked by Twilight's Hammer, said they were after me. And then...then they showed up. They kept me alive, I don't know why. They-...they did things to me..."

Winter then began to break down, weeping woefully into her hands. He knew what they had done to Winter, he had heard it. He knew it would take time for her to recover, if recovery was even possible. Who knew how long they'd been using her.

"I'm sorry Winter, truly I am." Ironwood assured her. "But why did the Hammer try and kill you?"

"Because I knew something I shouldn't have." Winter responded quietly, before turning to Ironwood with fury in her eyes. "I figured out who exactly Lady Prestor is."

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 **And that is that. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? PM me or leave in your review. Next update should be 29th September.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	12. Revelations

**Hello everyone, back again. First, review response time. OutlastTheDark; yes, on so many levels it would be wrong...unless it was either Yang or Nora saying it, in which case it would fine. And good to see you again, haven't seen you in a while. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 12- Revelations**

Narygos paced back and forth within his small abode in the mountains, shaking his head in irritation as he gazed at the City of Atlas, the sun rising in the distance. It had been many days since he last saw Weiss, and he was becoming concerned. He had arrived outside her window at the agreed time, but found no one there to greet him. He had waited at least an hour before leaving, and decided to return the next day at the same time...only to be greeted with the same result.

He felt a sickening twinge in his throat as he ran through the possible scenarios as to why Weiss wasn't there to meet him. He couldn't believe he was capable of harbouring such feelings for a mortal, a human nonetheless. No doubt his Master, Kalecgos, would be grinning ear to ear if he knew the emotional turmoil he was in right now. This would be the last time, he told himself. He would go to meet Weiss one last time, and if she wasn't there, he would simply leave…

Fine, maybe he would check again the next day, but after that he was done!

As he began to make his way back to the small cave he had been using as a sleeping den, he felt a twinge in the back of his mind, a calling. At first he ignored it, but then he felt it again, stronger this time. He focused on the twinge, and felt something connect with his conscious. No, not something, someone.

" _Narygos!"_

He heard the voice of Kalecgos in his mind, loud and clear, but never so urgent before. He knew that he'd been to an expedition to the ruins of Gundrak, but that was some time ago. Had he found something troubling there? Only one way to find out.

" _Master, you sound urgent. Is something-"_

" _Get to the Schnee Manor immediately! Find Weiss and get her as far away as possible!"_ Kalecgos' voice ordered frantically. _"It's Lady Prestor, she is the one who serves the will of Deathwing!"_

" _Deathwing?!"_ Narygos replied, his voice laced with an overwhelming sense of fear. _"Are you certain?"_

" _Dammit Narygos, just do what I say!"_ Kalecgos frantically roared, before the telepathic link cut out.

Narygos cursed under his breath as he turned his head towards the City, the Schnee Manor far off in the distance. It would be quite the flight, that was for sure, and this early in the day the morning sun would make his invisibility spell stand out more. He grunted slightly as he replanted his feet in the ground and flexed his wings before leaping into the air and taking off.

Now all he needed to do was figure out where exactly Weiss was.

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Weiss sat in the corner of the cell, her legs hugging her chest. The cells were nearly as old as the Manor itself, built to incarcerate prisoners during the Great War, though they hadn't been used since then. She looked up at the ceiling, where the only source of light shone dimly. What a sorry state of affairs she was in. Almost as soon as her Father saw her kneeling next to the bloodied body of Whitley, he immediately assumed the worst, and Prestor's Bodyguards made sure of it.

She had been locked in the cells until her Father decided what exactly to do with her. If he could have his way, she would probably remain here for the rest of her days, a permanent black mark on the Schnee Family. But she knew he couldn't risk it. Now that Whitley was dead, he didn't have an heir. She was more useful to him in the spotlight rather then in the darkest recesses of the Schnee Manor.

The doors to the cell suddenly clicked loudly, before the door began to groan as it was pushed open. Weiss half expected to see her Father standing on the other side, or a servant delivering food. But instead she saw the last person she wanted to see.

"Prestor..." Weiss hissed venomously, the woman in question merely smiling at her in response.

She stepped into the cell, not saying a word as she continued to smile. Then she raised a hand and snapped her fingers. Almost immediately her twin bodyguards and a throng of other men and women suddenly entered the room and swarmed her, picking her off the floor rather haphazardly.

"What is this? What are you doing?!" Weiss demanded, attempting to step forward, only for both Kalaran and Searinox to seize the former Heiress by the arms, their iron grip tightening around her limbs.

"Tying up loose ends." Prestor replied with a smile, turning around and leaving, the throng of men and women following after her, taking Weiss with them.

She tried her best to break free, but those that held her were simply too strong. And then she saw something that made her blood freeze. She caught a glimpse of the brooch that was pinned to one of her assailants cloaks, and recognised the engraving on it immediately from the news. It was the symbol of the Twilight's Hammer. Her struggling hastened immediately, she kicked out with her legs, tried digging her heels into the marble floor in an attempt to slow herself down, but it was all in vain.

Every corridor they passed through was empty, not even a servant was insight. Not only that, but she saw in the corner of her eyes that every security camera was offline. No one would realise she was missing until it was too late. They entered the Great Hall, their footsteps echoing loudly in the room. She knew where they were headed, to the secret passage in the library. Once again she tried to pull herself free, but this time was rewarded with a swift punch to the gut, forcing the wind out of her and nearly causing her to collapse then and there. She lifted her head weakly as she saw Prestor reach out to the door on the far end. One more corridor and they were in the library.

"Lady Prestor, halt!" a voice ordered, causing the group to freeze immediately. Slowly, they turned around, and Weiss couldn't help but feel a surge of relief wash over her as she caught sight of the voices owner.

"General Ironwood, what a pleasant surprise." Prestor rather calmly said, though Weiss could see the irritation and panic in her eyes. "Do tell why you and your tin men are here?"

Whilst she hadn't pain much attention to anyone but the General, Weiss did now realise that he was surrounded by a multitude of Atlesian Soldiers, all of whom were armed and aiming their weapons at Prestor and the others.

"The masquerade is over, Lady Prestor." Ironwood rebuked, aiming his Revolver at the noblewoman in question. "Or should I call you by your true name… Onyxia."

Weiss let out a confused murmur as she looked first at the General and then at Prestor, who simply began to laugh in response.

"Oh Ironwood you simple fool." Prestor chuckled, shaking her head in disapproval. "Do you honestly think you can come in here and poke fingers at the nobility? When the council hears of this they will most certainly strip me of your rank, especially since you have no proof to support your outlandish claim."

"Oh I have all the proof I need." Ironwood reassured darkly, using his free hand to pull something out of his coat pocket, a small stone tablet Weiss realised.

"What is that?" Prestor asked, her voice dangerously quiet.

"Winter found it, in Gundrak all those months ago." Ironwood replied, a smile forming on his face. "She figured out what you were, that's why you had her killed, or at least tried to."

"Winter's alive?" Weiss finally said, Ironwood turning away from Prestor to face her, where he nodded once before returning his gaze to Prestor.

"Now I don't know what will happen when I read this tablet, but I have a feeling it must be important if you wanted Winter dead before she could find them." Ironwood said as he turned his gaze towards the tablet and began to read it out.

Almost immediately she felt an unknown, unheard sound flow through her consciousness, causing her vision to blur as she shook her head to clear it of the sudden fatigue. The same sensation seemed to overcome everyone else in the room as well. All except three people. Prestor began to wince and convulse on the floor, her arms quickly folding over her body as her legs buckled. Kalaran and Searinox also began to convulse, hissing and screeching as they collapsed on all fours, their armour beginning to emit steam as a black cloud began to form around them.

Wasting no time, Weiss ran for the other side of the room, where she quickly made for the safety of the Soldiers. Lady Prestor was also consumed by the black cloud, though it seemed to shroud the entirety of her side of the great hall, blocking the morning sun out and shrouding the entire hall in eerie darkness. It was then that Lady Prestor let out a loud scream, though her voice seemed distorted somehow, unnatural even.

And then she heard the low growl, almost animalistic in nature, resonate from within the cloud. A gargantuan shape was slowly becoming visible, with a pair of piercing amber eyes shining through. And then a pair of gigantic black wings erupted from the cloud and flapped once, almost immediately dispelling the smoke. Ironwood, Weiss and the soldiers were forced to avert their eyes as the black mist sped towards them, and when they looked, they could barely believe their eyes.

Gone was the Lady Prestor, instead in her place was a large Black Dragon, with purple horns that resembled a crown erupting from her reptilian head. Her Bodyguards Kalaran and Searinox had vanished as well, in their place a pair of Black Drakes who hissed and snapped at Ironwood and his cohorts. Weiss thought she wouldn't be surprised. She'd met a Dragon already and had even befriended them. Yet here she was, mouth agape as she stared at the three Dragons in front of her, all of them looking at her with murderous intent.

"You truly are a fool Ironwood!" Lady Prestor- no, Onyxia- hissed, a low growl reverberating in the back of her throat. "I will slaughter you all where you stand!"

The Black Dragoness then reared her head back, an orange light emitting from her closed maw, along with the unmistakable signs of heat lines. She'd read enough stories as a child to know what was about to happen next, and Ironwood seemed to know as well.

"Out! Everybody out!" Ironwood shouted, quickly herding the soldiers and Weiss away from Onyxia and to the nearest door.

It was then that a furious yell sounded behind them, Weiss turning to see the Twilight's Hammer cultists charging them, the twin Drakes hovering over them. Weiss had half hoped that when Onyxia had transformed, she'd also squished the Twilight Cultists at the same time with her increased size. Alas, that was not the case, and almost immediately fighting broke out as the Cultists and Soldiers clashed, pinning them down effectively.

Weiss couldn't believe how willingly the Cultists had gone to slow down the Atlesian retreat. They must have known that Onyxia would incinerate them as well. Were they so devoted to their cause that they would gladly die for what was essentially an act of spite? There was a scream of terror as Kalaran dived down and grabbed one of the soldiers and lifted him to the air, before landing on a chandelier. The Drake then began to tear into the soldier, the screams turning into gurgles as a waterfall of blood trickled down. Weiss couldn't help but gag, even as Kalaran tossed the body aside, the near headless body falling swiftly with a wet thud.

And then, just as Weiss was sure Onyxia was about to unleash a torrent of fire, there was a loud crash as something else came through the window. Onyxia turned, though was too late to properly react. She let out a screech as whatever it was crashed into her back, causing the fire building up in her mouth to spray out uncontrollably in all directions, burning Cultist and Soldier alike. Weiss turned to identify their saviour, only to gawk in surprise upon seeing a massive Blue Dragon land on the floor beside Onyxia, its icy talons sending web like cracks into the marble.

The Blue Dragon let out a ferocious roar as Onyxia pushed herself up, the Black Dragoness returning the roar in kind. Both then let out a torrent of flame at one another, though Weiss noted the almost frosty mist around the Blue Dragons cyan flame. Immediately Kalaran and Searinox went to harass the Blue Dragon, hisses and screeches sounding from their fanged maws. And that was when a blue dart crashed into one of the Drakes with tremendous speed. There was a cloud of dust as the two reptiles collided with the floor, which cleared quickly to reveal a sight that made Weiss' heart nearly skip a beat.

Narygos.

The Blue Drake hissed and thrashed at the Black Drake, who clawed and snapped at Narygos in return. The second Blake Drake then came swooping down overhead, swatting its tail against the back of Narygos' head, causing him to growl in discontent. The second his guard was down, the first Black Drake attacked, shoving Narygos off of him and bathing him in fire. Narygos growled in discomfort as he did his best to steer away from the flame, but the second then came crashing down on top of him, unleashing its own fire breath in tandem.

Narygos would die if he didn't get help, and his comrade was too busy fighting Onyxia, the two large Dragons now favouring to grapple and claw one another rather than use their breath attacks. Feeling the need to act, Weiss snatched a discarded Cultist sword off the floor, the weapon heavy and unfamiliar to her hands. She then charged forward, doing her best to avoid the strikes of nearby Cultists whilst delivering her own on occasion.

By the time she reached the trio, she was afraid it would be too late. Narygos was merely wailing now, his once azure scales becoming charred and blackened by the twin fire breaths. No, she wouldn't let it happen. She wasn't going to lose someone else. Without thinking, she threw the sword forward, the blade spinning as it neared the Drake on top of Narygos, before impaling the him in the chest. The Black Drake screeched as it reared up on its hind legs and staggered off Narygos, trying fruitlessly to pull the sword loose, blood spurting out every time the sword moved. Taking advantage of the surprise, Narygos swung his tail across, knocking the Drake to the ground before pouncing, tearing into the Drake with renewed ferocity.

The second Black Drake wailed as Narygos tore into its brethren, before turning all its rage onto Weiss. The Drake hissed as it lunged forward, Weiss shrieking as she jumped to the right, falling over hard as the Drake turned around to face the Heiress, its maw glowing brightly as it spat out a lance of liquid fire, Weiss quickly standing to dodge the molten projectile. As she stepped backwards, her heel tripped over a dead body, causing her to fall back to the ground with a thud.

The Black Drake hissed venomously as it braced itself and lunged forward, Weiss shrieking as she shielded her eyes and turned around. As she turned away, she heard the sound of flesh being torn and ripped apart, but oddly could not feel it. That was when she heard the sound of a Drake screeching, a sound that was right in front of her. Daring to look, she turned her head, not exactly sure what to expect. And the sight before her was definitely unexpected.

The Black Drake hung in the air, moaning and screeching in pain as it tried its best to pry itself off a large glowing white sword. Blood spluttered out of the wound as the Drake tried to free itself from the blade, only to sink further down, the tip of the blade quickly protruding out of its back. With a final moan, the Drake slumped forward, its eyes becoming lifeless. Weiss then looked down, gasping silently in surprise upon seeing a small spinning rune where her hand touched the floor. She raised her hand and the rune dispersed, a wet thud echoing loudly as the lifeless body of the Drake slumped forward freely, the blade having vanished.

Before she could comment on the spectacle, the sound of another Drake dying pierced her ears, causing her to turn as Narygos raised his head, tendons of flesh locked in his mouth as he stood atop the lifeless body of the second Black Drake, half its throat missing. Around them, Ironwoods Soldiers finished off the remaining Cultists, the majority of which had been killed by their Mistresses failed breath attack.

There was then a loud crash as the massive Blue Dragon was suddenly flung against the wall, the creature growling in discomfort as it attempted to right itself. Onyxia stood defiant, roaring savagely as she flapped her wings in protest, her body covered in scratch and bite marks. The Black Dragoness then turned towards the others present, hissing in disdain upon realising her cohorts were dead.

Without so much as a word, Onyxia turned and leapt into the air, the large Blue Dragon charging forward in an attempt to intercept, only to snap his jaws at thin air. Onyxia charged through the window, sending a flurry of glass down onto the streets below, rising high into the air. A pair of Atlesian Airships had noticed the commotion from earlier, and were headed towards the Schnee Manor as the battle raged.

And now they were in the direct path of an angry Black Dragon.

She let out a blast of fire at the closest Airship, the flames tearing through the Airship with little effort, what was left of the burning wreck descending quickly to the ground below. The second Airship attempted an evasive manoeuvre, and whilst it was successful in steering away from the Dragonesses bulk, the bridge was struck by the tail, causing it to spiral down as all control of the vessel was lost.

Onyxia had escaped.

 **00000000**

 **Sorry this chapter was late, had a bit of writers block at one point. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either leave in your review or PM me. Next update should hopefully be October 13th but don't hold your breath.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	13. Consequences

**Sorry this chapter was up late, I really have no excuse for why I didn't update yesterday other than I got caught up playing the new Assassin's Creed game (which I'm REALLY enjoying) and before I knew it, it was midnight. But anyhow, onto review responses. Hornofdesolation; glad you liked it. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 13- Consequences**

"Your reckless actions today will have dire consequences, Kalecgos!"

Kalecgos tried his best not to roll his eyes as Arygos continued his rant, the Blue Dragon pacing back and forth in front of the Eye of Eternity, the surface of the mana-infused lake shimmering brightly with arcane energies, hiding his reflection. The same could not be said for the Focusing Iris, which fully reflected the Scion's head, and it was clear that he was angry. Not long after Onyxia's escape from Atlas, both he and Narygos had chosen to depart before the Humans decided to turn their weapons on them. He had expected to find Narygos back at the Dragonshrine, but when he arrived the younger Drake was not present. He prayed that Narygos was safe, though he had his suspicions that he wasn't quite finished in Atlas.

"Our kind has remained hidden for thousands of years, and with your 'display' in the heart of Human lands, they now know of our existence." Arygos roared as he glared icy daggers at Kalecgos, who didn't flinch at the slightest. "You have brought doom upon us."

"You exaggerate, Arygos." the voice of Senegos reasoned, the elder Dragon taking a step forward as he spoke. "Were it not for the actions of Kalecgos, the machinations of the Black Dragonflight would have remained unchallenged."

"And now that they know of the existence of our kind, do you really think that they will let us be?" Arygos argued. "Humanity has always been aggressive, especially the Atlesian's."

Kalecgos hated to admit it, but Arygos did have a point. Atlas was built on Military might more so than the other Kingdoms, save for maybe the Troll Empire's of old. Atlas was more than likely to act against a threat aggressively, though that did not necessarily mean they would strike at the Blue Dragonflight. After all, it had been a Black Dragon that had tried to kill them.

"You have little faith in Humans, Arygos." Senegos stated matter of factly, cocking his head slightly as he spoke.

"I have good reason to do so." Arygos hissed back, before he returned his full attention back to Kalecgos. "Well then, do you accept responsibility? Do you not deny that you revealed your presence to Human eyes?"

"I accept those charges, but know that I did so because the Broodmother Onyxia threatened the lives of innocents." Kalecgos rebuked, for now it was his turn to speak. "And was that not the reason we have been gifted our powers? To help those who cannot help themselves? What are we if we forsake our duty? Will we become as mindless and self serving as the Blacks have, or will we remember the oath of old, the oath your Father swore on?"

Kalecgos could see in the corner of his eye that Senegos was smiling, and that many other Blue Dragons who had been watching the debate unfold were now muttering to one another and looking at Arygos for an answer, who was now beginning to blush with embarrassment. The Dragon in question then let out an angry snort as he bared his teeth at Kalecgos.

"You dare speak to me in such a way?" Arygos snarled, his jaw clattering as he growled irritably at Kalecgos, before spinning his head towards Senegos. "Lord Senegos, as your future Aspect I order you to exile Kalecgos to the ends of our lands!"

"You are not my Aspect yet, boy." Senegos growled, taking an intimidating step forward, causing Arygos to peel back slightly. "Nor would I obey such a command even if you were!"

Kalecgos could see now that Arygos was now looking at the other Dragons for support, but found that they were all looking at him questionably. And it soon became clear to him that he did not have the support he may have had at the start of this sham of a trial.

"Regardless, he must still be punished for violating one of our oaths to remain hidden from the mortal races." Arygos finally managed to say, gaining enough confidence to speak again. "If we do not punish those who disobey, regardless of their intent, then what is to stop others from doing the same?"

Senegos huffed slightly as he took a step back. Arygos, once again, was right. Kalecgos knew he would receive some form of punishment for revealing what his true form to the Atlesian's. What that punishment was to be, he did not know, for he was the first in known history to do so.

"I say we should strip him of his Lordship, and force him to work under the orders of another." Arygos sneered as he glared at Kalecgos from across the Eye of Eternity.

Almost immediately there were murmurs of displeasure, and some outright cries of discord. To be stripped of a Lordship was unheard of. It was a birthright more so than a title as it was with Humans. But Kalecgos believed something else to be at play here. Only a Dragon who held the title of Lord or Lady could make a claim to the title of Aspect. Was the last Scion so desperate to hold onto his claim that he wished to strip away a rival of their title?

"Why, afraid that he'll be a more popular candidate for Aspect then you?" Senegos said, saying what Kalecgos was thinking, though there was a mischievous glint in the old Dragons eye. "That said, perhaps he should be forced to work under the wing of another, even if it is only temporary."

This time around, the gathered Dragons seemed to agree with the punishment, nodding and murmuring in agreement with one another. Arygos looked around, growling in disdain as he saw that he had lost all support in his proposal. Without so much as a word, the Blue Dragon turned and left, leaving his place barren. Senegos huffed in amusement before turning to Kalecgos, saying nothing for a time as he contemplated his options.

"As for you Kalecgos, you will work under the instructions of Arcanagos for the next seven nights, starting from tomorrow." Senegos finally declared, earning a number of murmurs in response.

'Not Arcanagos,' thought Kalecgos. 'Any Dragon except Arcanagos.'

Arcanagos was the Blue Dragon in charge of the magical artefacts within the possession of the Blue Dragonflight. And it was well known that he had a dislike for Kalecgos that would make working for him very tedious.

"Then we are all agreed." Senegos declared, turning to the gathered Dragons as he spoke. "Back to your duties, all of you. We have much to prepare in the coming days."

The Blue Dragons began to turn and leave, discussing amongst themselves the trial that had occurred, and the outcome. Kalecgos left his spot and made his way to Senegos, who turned and began to make his way towards the cave where he usually studied.

"Really? Arcanagos?" Kalecgos asked as he walked beside Senegos. "Out of all the Dragon's to pick from, you chose Arcanagos."

"I had to make it seem fair." Senegos rebuked back. "Arygos was right, and it is well known how much he dislikes you. It seemed a just and fair punishment."

"I think you don't know the meanings of the words 'Just' and 'Fair'." Kalecgos grumbled, causing Senegos to chuckle in response.

"What, would you rather he had stripped you of your title as well?" Senegos laughed, before his tone became serious. "Arygos fears you, Kalec. You were always popular with the Flight, but after today, none would challenge you if you decided to run for the title of Aspect."

"This again?" Kalecgos sighed, as he shook his head.

"You have the makings of an Aspect within you." Senegos argued back. "You are wise, brave, strong, popular, and most importantly you embody what we were meant to be: Guardians of this world. None of the Blue Dragons that saw you today will forget your speech."

"That is all well and nice, but I'm certain that Arygos won't agree with you, saying I shouldn't be allowed to run for the title of Aspect whilst I am being penalised." Kalecgos shot back, earning an eye-roll from Senegos in return.

"Who cares what Arygos thinks." Senegos retaliated. "If he is pulling excuses out of his tail about why you shouldn't be Aspect, then that means you SHOULD be Aspect."

Kalecgos let out a weary sigh as he shook his head slowly. He was growing tired of this talk of Draconic politics. Oh how he wished for the simplicity of Human politics.

"I must go now, Senegos." Kalecgos said as he stopped in his tracks, the elder Dragon turning to face him as he spoke. "I have a long day ahead of me, and I must gather my strength if I must deal with Arcanagos for the next seven days."

"Of course, but a word before you go." Senegos asked, to which Kalecgos nodded as Senegos lowered his head. "Is it true what you said? Was it really Onyxia you saw?"

"I'm afraid so..." Kalecgos responded with a small nod. Almost immediately Senegos slumped forward, almost as if hearing the name physically weakened him.

"A Scion of Deathwing..." Senegos sighed wearily. "Gods have mercy on us all..."

 **00000000**

 **Okay, so this is a really short chapter, mainly because writers block but also because I want to save some stuff for the next update. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either leave in your review or PM me. Next review will be about September 27th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	14. Choices Made

**I am so sorry about this chapter being later than usual. Unlike the last time, I don't have any excuses, so it's fortunate that I decided to have this week off from work. So there are no reviews to respond to this time around, though I have a question for you all that I will ask at the end of the chapter. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 14- Choices Made**

Weiss watched as the sun rose over the horizon, colouring the skies of Atlas with a tint of pink. So much had happened over the last few days, and all of it was unthinkable. First, her brother Whitley had been assassinated, with the blame shifted onto her. Then, as she awaited judgement for a crime she didn't commit, she herself was nearly murdered by Lady Prestor, the true culprit. And if that wasn't enough, she soon discovered that Katrana was not the noblewoman of House Prestor who she claimed she was, but in fact a Black Dragon in disguise.

It was no surprise that after such a dramatic reveal, which ended not only with the Dragoness escaping but also destroying a number of Atlesian Ships in the process, that General Ironwood authorised emergency powers to isolate Atlas from the rest of the world and focus on defending their sovereign soil. Personally, she thought that such an idea would accomplish nothing but chaos. Even her Father thought that isolating the Kingdom was a terrible idea, and it was NEVER good when she and her Father actually agreed on something.

She decided that the only good thing to come out of all of this was the fact that her sister was in fact alive. Ironwood had informed her of her sisters status and in all honesty, it was horrifying to believe that such a thing had happened. She had read the legends of Trolls and their brutality, but she never thought that they were real. Perhaps the legends of the 'Bogeymen of Menagerie' were true after all. She had yet to speak to her sister on her experience, nor did she think she ever would. Winter had allegedly locked herself up in her quarters ever since she had returned, and Ironwood had granted her a temporary honourable discharge until she had recovered.

As for her, her Father had yet to speak to her, though she could guess what he would say. He would feign regret over ever doubting her innocence, perhaps even reinstate her as Heiress to the Schnee Dust company and maybe even spend some time in the spotlight with her to make out to the general public that Father and Daughter had forgiven each other and put this tragedy behind them. But eventually, he would just see her as he always had done: a piece on a chess board. He would support her for as long as it benefited him, and once her usefulness had ended, he would be just as quick to sacrifice her if doing so would benefit him. And judging how the Schnee Industry might very soon collapse with Ironwood isolating Atlas from the rest of the world, that day might come sooner than later.

And she knew what she needed to do.

She quickly turned away from the window and made for her drawers. She began to open them, one by one, plucking clothes out that would be suitable for the winter climate. She then began to pack them into a small suitcase, making sure to pack a small number of Dust vials in the process. She knew she would need more, but where she was going, she felt that it wouldn't be necessary. Next was her blade, _Myrtenaster_ , which was safely locked away in its casing. The Police had confiscated it initially during the investigation, but it had since been returned to her. She undid the casing, plucking the blade free from its container before sheathing it to her side. That was when she heard the door to her room open, followed by the sound of heels clicking on marble.

"Miss Schnee, I've brought you your-"

Weiss turned to see Klein standing there, his eyes wide in shock as he stared not at her, but the case on the bed. Weiss didn't say a word as she returned to her bed, locking up the suitcase before placing it on the ground, turning to face Klein as she did.

"So, you really are leaving then?" Klein asked, though the sad look in his eyes made it clear he already knew the answer to the question.

"I'm sorry Klein, but I have to go." Weiss replied. "We both know that I can't stay here in Atlas, not with all the injustice happening out there."

"I understand, truly I do." Klein responded quickly, looking up at the Heiress with a sad smile to match. "I just-...I just wish you'd said goodbye, that's all."

"Klein, I-" Weiss stopped herself mid sentence before she simply walked towards the elderly butler and embraced him in a hug so tight, one might have mistaken him for her Father. "Goodbye, Klein."

"Goodbye, Miss Schnee." Klein responded quietly, a small tear rolling down his face as he held onto Weiss. Eventually, the two parted, Klein stepping aside out of the way. "Go, quickly. Before your Father catches on."

"Thank you Klein." Weiss responded, giving the older gentleman a curtsey before leaving the chambers of her room for the final time.

She made her way through the many corridors of the Manor, making sure to avoid any of the hallways with cameras or servants, which was much easier said then done. She knew that such a task was impossible, but the farther she made it without being spotted the easier her escape would be. She soon made it to the gardens, where she and her sister had practised many a time in the art of combat. Then, all she had to do was wait.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing, daughter of mine?" a rich voice asked in a somewhat condescending tone.

With a sigh, Weiss turned, and was not at all surprised to see her Father stood there, along with a large number of security personnel, all of whom looked about as frightening as her Father: intimidating to a degree, but not very.

"Hello Father, lovely day to be out, wouldn't you agree?" Weiss asked mockingly, restraining her urge to smile when she saw the angered look in her Fathers eyes.

"Don't play clever with me, young madam!" Jacques snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at Weiss as his face went red. "We both agreed that you would stay in your room until we had figured something out!"

"No, you TOLD me to stay in my room like a good little prisoner until you had figured out what to do with me." Weiss said truthfully, her Father's face draining slightly as he awkwardly readjusted his jacket.

"That's not entirely true..." Jacques muttered almost too quietly to be heard.

"You're right, it's not." Weiss concurred, earning a grateful smile from her Father for seemingly agreeing with him. "At least a prisoner has done something to deserve getting locked up."

Jacques face turned red again as a dark look entered his eyes. Weiss rarely saw this look, and when she did something bad always followed. The only difference this time though was that she wasn't afraid of the consequences.

"You listen here, Weiss." Jacques began, pausing as if to emphasise his point. "You WILL return to your quarters, where you will remain until we can come to an agreement."

"Or else what?" Weiss retorted, folding her arms as she did so.

"Or else you will have a little accident." Jacques replied, placing emphasis on the word _accident_. "I would inform the public of your tragic demise. I've heard that after the fall of Vale, there were a number of children who lost their parents. I've always wondered what it would be like to raise someone else's child as your own."

"You're sick." Weiss hissed in disgust, a queasy look on her face just from thinking about it. "You would kill me just for disobeying you, and then force another to take my place?!"

"So you agree to stay then?" Jacques asked, folding his arms behind his back as a smug smile crossed his face.

"No." Weiss simply replied, drawing her blade as she held it out, the tip pointing at her Father. Jacques simply stood there with an impassive gaze, before shaking his head and sighing.

"So be it." Jacques replied, gesturing for the men beside him to step forward.

Immediately the men advanced, drawing a mixture of shock batons and suppressed pistols. One with an itchy trigger finger fired, Weiss barely having enough time to bring her blade up and deflect the shot. As the men converged closer, she summoned a row of Glyphs on the ground in front of her, the icy runes glowing before erupting into a wall of ice, the men stepping back in shock. Any surprise they may have had though was quickly pushed aside, as they began to move around the wall.

"Just surrender, Weiss." Jacques shouted from afar. "We both know you won't kill them."

"You're right, I wouldn't." Weiss said, smiling as she felt an unnatural breeze blow from behind her. "But he might."

The men looked at one another in confusion, only for the confusion to turn into surprise as something large and invisible landed between them and Weiss. The invisible force then proceeded to knock the nearest of the three men away, causing them to yell out in surprise as they were sent flying into their fellows. Then the air began to shimmer as the invisible force was revealed, a Blue Drake with glowing runes painted onto its body, and fresh scars coating its scales.

The Drake let out a guttural roar as it swiped away another of the men, before spinning around and sending another flying with a swat of his tail. One with a pistol began to fire at the Drake, which quickly folded a wing over itself to protect it from the barrage before buffeting the man away, who was sent flying into a tree, the man screaming as he went. The Drake then let out a mighty bellow, the remaining men backing away quickly in surrender.

"You took your time." Weiss said as the Drake turned to face her. "Thank you for coming Narygos."

"You didn't think I would leave you here, did you?" the Drake, Narygos, replied, his maw open slightly as if to impersonate a human smile. "You're ready then?"

"Yes, let's go." Weiss confirmed, Narygos lowering himself to the ground so that Weiss could mount him.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Jacques suddenly shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at Weiss. "Get off of that beast at once!"

"So this is your Father?" Narygos asked, earning a huff of confirmation in response. "He's a lot taller then I expected, but just as foolish as you described him."

"How dare you speak to me like that!" Jacques hissed, this time pointing a finger at Narygos. "Speak to me again like that, and I'll have your hide stretched across my-"

Narygos suddenly lunged forward and snapped his jaws, causing Jacques to jump back in fright with a scream.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to point?" Narygos sneered back. "You're nothing but words, you vain old goat."

"Narygos, please!" Weiss hissed exasperatedly, causing the Drake to look up at her in response. "Don't bother, he's not worth it."

"Weiss," Jacques said, returning his attention to his wayward daughter. "Get off of that beast this instant, and all will be forgiven, I swear it!"

"And how long will you keep that promise?" Weiss asked matter of factly, looking at her Father questioningly.

"You will get off of that beast, because if you don't, then you will no longer be a Schnee." Jacques threatened.

Weiss simply looked at Jacques, a determined look in her eyes as she gently kicked Narygos, urging him to leave.

"You're wrong, Father." Weiss responded, Jacques face falling as the realisation he was no longer in control sunk in. "I'll always be a Schnee."

And with that, Narygos flew into the air, the Schnee Manor in all its splendour becoming smaller and smaller until it disappeared entirely from sight. Weiss felt the wave of energy pass both through and around her, quickly realising that they were now cloaked from sight. Soon they passed over Atlas itself, the streets filled to the brim with Military transports and Soldiers. And then, she began to cry, her tears crystallising as they fell from her eyes, stinging her skin slightly.

"Are you all right?" Narygos asked, cocking his head to look at Weiss.

"I'm fine Narygos." Weiss reassured, rubbing her hand along his serpentine neck.

"But...you're crying?" Narygos responded. "I thought Humans cried only when they were upset."

"Not this time." Weiss said, taking a deep breath as Narygos warily turned his head to look ahead. "I'm finally free."

 **00000000**

Onyxia let out a savage roar as she slammed a claw onto the ground, causing the earth itself to churn in response. Her plans, foiled. By a human girl of all things. She paced around her lair, snorting and fuming in disgust. She could just imagine it, her victory that was so close at hand. Almost all the loose ends had been tied, and Atlas would have been ready to fall to the might of Deathwing. But now, now the Humans would be on the hunt for them. They would be mobilising their forces to strike out at them. And if not them, then the filthy Blue Dragonflight most certainly would.

She then proceeded to leave the confines of her lair, stomping towards the Twilight bastion of Doom's Vigil, specifically the Seat of the Chosen. At her approach, the Black Drakes and Twilight Grimm flocked towards her, flying around her like bees would a hive. Some of them were her own brood, having matured long ago. Others were her brothers offspring, and some were completely unrelated whatsoever, yet still they flocked to her.

As she approached the gates they began to disperse, leaving the Black Dragoness alone in her fury. She didn't acknowledge the cultists who stopped what they were doing to bow before her. She didn't even give those that were in her path enough time to scatter. She felt many a broken body beneath her feet as she made her way to the large building at the far end of the camp. At her approach, the cultists manning the building began to undo the locks on the massive gates, before the mechanism holding them still began to work, the gates slowly swinging open. She then entered, the building only large enough for half her body to fit in.

Not that the building was too small for her alone. But it could not fit both occupants inside.

Huddled at the end of the building, bound nearly head to toe in chains was a large Blue Dragoness. Her once shining scales had dulled, and her skin was stretched so tightly over her that her bones were starting to show. Along her body were a number of scars, some made by tools of torture implemented by the Twilight's Hammer, others were made by the claws of Dragons who had forced themselves upon her. A sinister smile spread across Onyxia's face as she regarded the Blue Dragoness slowly raised her head, a sad look in her eyes.

"It's been a while, Kirygosa."

 **00000000**

 **Dun dun dun! That's right, Kirygosa has been alive this whole time! Bet you saw that coming. Now, onto my little question. So I've done a little Math in my head and I've come to realise that if I publish this series at my current rate, I'm probably not gonna finish this saga any time soon. So I wanted to know what you would rather want to happen:**

 **A- I continue to write the story as it is, updating every two weeks.**

 **B- I start both the Blake and Yang stories now and have them on a rotation. So for example, after updating this one, in two weeks I would update the Blake one, and two weeks after that I would update the Yang one, and so on and so forth. It would mean updates to a particular story would take longer but in the long run, I would be able to reach the finale quicker.**

 **C- I continue with this one, but I hand out the Blake and Yang one to other authors to write instead so that they come out at around the same time. I would obviously have rules that I expect them to follow, so I would only give them to people I can trust. The downside with this is that other authors may take their time to finish their given stories meaning that people could end up waiting way too long for the finale.**

 **So which of those would you rather I do? A, B or C? Next update (depending on what you choose) will be November 10th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	15. Captive Audience

**Hey guys, so sorry for yet another delay. My brother had just come home from Manchester for the weekend so I didn't want to be stuck spending most of the day ignoring him. That and I was too busy raiding Boralus on my Hunter. For the Horde. Now after what everyone has said in regards to my potential plans, I have decided to finish off this story and then rotate the other two stories. Thank you to everyone who had their input on the decision and hope you enjoy. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 15- Captive Audience**

"It's been a while, Kirygosa."

Kirygosa, one of the last Scions of Malygos, flinched slightly as Onyxia spoke, the venom in her voice made more pronounce by the sly curl of her mouth. It had been months when she had been captured. She and her mother, the Prime Consort Saragosa, had been out hunting with a small group of Blue Dragons. As they feasted on their catch, the Twilight's Hammer attacked, mounted upon savage beasts that reeked of both Grimm and Dragons. The majority of the party had been slain on the spot, leaving only herself and her mother left.

Both fought to the bitter end, killing many of the Cultists with both claw and magic alike. The Cultists were nearly routed there and then. That was when the Broodmother Onyxia arrived, turning the tide once more in the Cults favour. Within seconds she slew Saragosa, her body barely recognisable after Onyxia's savage assault. She herself had expected death, but the depraved Cultists had a better plan for her.

"I still remember the day we captured you." Onyxia said, almost as if she could read her thoughts. "Oh how you wailed like a wench when I tore your mother apart. She was weak, just like the rest of your Flight."

"Do not speak of my mother in such a way!" Kirygosa hissed, her voice quiet and hoarse from months of captivity. Onyxia chuckled darkly as she leered forward, her head mere inches from Kirygosa's.

"But it's the truth." Onyxia sneered, growling with disgust as she backed away slightly. "Your kind have always been weak. The only one of you who had a spine died long ago. What was her name again? Sindragosa?"

Kirygosa looked away as best as she could upon mention of the name. Sindragosa was the first Prime Consort of Malygos, who died long ago when Deathwing first betrayed the other Aspects. Her body had been lost to the ages, and it was also believed that it was her death that catapulted Malygos into his insanity.

"When we first saw you, I knew we had an opportunity." Onyxia continued to gloat, positioning herself so she was nearly on top of Kirygosa. "Not only were you a Scion of Malygos, but you were also pregnant. Just imagine how powerful my brother's creations could become, if they were imbued with the blood of an Aspect."

Kirygosa was now completely still, her mind going back to the traumatic memories of the past few months. She shivered and winced uncontrollably as she felt Onyxia's claws worm their way into the scars on her back, where many a Black Dragon had forced themselves upon her. A Dragon could lay over a dozen eggs in a single clutch, and being an Aspect made her brood more powerful then most. Once she had laid her eggs, they had been taken from her to be experimented upon and turned into monstrosities. But they needed more. They always did. So then they began to force Black Dragons upon her, impregnating her against her will. She knew not what the potential mixture would create, but apparently they didn't care, for they always continued breeding her regardless.

"I will admit, you have my sympathies as a fellow mother." Onyxia said solemnly, stepping away from Kirygosa and placing a clawed hand on her chest. "No parent should be forced to watch their children be twisted into abominations."

"How would you know?" Kirygosa spat back defiantly. "You've always been a monster, since the day you were born. I bet even your Father looks at you with disdain, for at least he was once pure."

With a snarl Onyxia lunged forward, placing a clawed hand around the back of Kirygosa's neck and pressed down, causing the Blue Dragoness to choke and writhe in her chains.

"Say that again, you whore." Onyxia growled quietly, her lips curling back into a snarl as Kirygosa's eyes bulged in their sockets as she strained for air. "Say it, and I'll-"

"Do...what?" Kirygosa managed to say, a smile of her own now spreading across her lips. "You can't...kill me. Like you said...I'm...too useful..."

With a snarl, Onyxia released her grip, Kirygosa gasping for air as Onyxia glowered at her, her eyes narrowed into hateful slits. The damned Blue Dragoness was right, she was more useful alive. But she would not let her relish in this victory. It gave her hope, and she needed to crush it. And it was as Kirygosa revelled in her small triumph, a look of panic shot across her face at a sound.

The sound of a Whelp calling for its Mother.

Both Kirygosa and Onyxia swivelled their heads at the noise, where creeping out of the darkness was a small Blue Whelp, it's frame slim and weak, with its ribs visible through its dull scales. A chain was attached to one of its hind legs, which was red and raw where it had rubbed constantly around the joint. It turned to Kirygosa, and let out a keening cry as it began to slowly limp towards her.

But Onyxia was faster, intercepting the baby Dragon and gently pressed one of her claws on its back, causing the Whelp to buckle and shriek out in both pain and protest. Kirygosa also began to panic, attempting to protect her child, though she could barely move thanks to the chains binding her.

"Please! Don't hurt him!" Kirygosa begged, tears beginning to drip from her eyes as she watched the Whelp struggle and squirm beneath the Black Dragoness.

"I let you keep this pathetic runt as an act of kindness." Onyxia sneered, pressing down harder on the Whelp, causing it to emit yet another cry of pain. This time, there was a trickle of blood. "Do not mistake that kindness for a sign of weakness, or else I'll show you just how mean I can be."

"Please, I'm begging you. You're hurting him!" Kirygosa cried, her eyes now flowing with tears.

With a grunt of satisfaction, Onyxia released her grip on the Whelp, which crawled forward as quickly as it could to Kirygosa, doing its best to hide behind its mother.

"I will never forgive you for this, Onyxia." Kirygosa muttered beneath her breath.

"Good, then you will never forget it. And if by chance you do forget it, well..." Onyxia chuckled menacingly as she turned to the huddled form of the Whelp hiding behind its mother. "The future won't be very bright for your dearest son."

With a snort, the Black Dragoness turned and left, the large doors closing behind her, blocking out the light once again. The Whelp let out another cry as it curled onto its side, drawing its thin legs in on itself, trying its best to both conserve warmth and sleep. Kirygosa let out a maternal growl as she gently nudged her child with her snout.

"One day, you will be able to feel the sun on your wings, my child..." Kirygosa whispered, the young Whelp looking up at her with a curious growl. "And you will be free of this cursed pit. On that I swear."

 **00000000**

Arcurion looked across the vast icy plains above Doom's Vigil, watching as the throngs of slaves began to chip away at the last of the ice. Finally, after all these years, it was uncovered. Millennia ago, when the Blue Dragons numbers were still large, they had erected grand constructs in order to allow them to tap into the inherent ley lines of Remnant. These 'Surge Needles' as they were called, allowed the Blue Dragonflight to direct the ley lines into specific points, ensuring that the arcane energies of the world were evenly spread.

But after the betrayal of Deathwing, the sites were abandoned and left in ruin, the Blue Dragonflight no longer having the numbers left to maintain these sacred sites. They had been lost, but after years of being trapped beneath the ice, one had at last been uncovered. This discovery, along with another accidental one, had caused much joy among the Cult. The chaos they could unleash with just a single surge needle was tremendous. The arcane energies seeping through the planet, if tampered with correctly, could cause devastation among the cities.

As the final layers of ice were chipped away, Arcurion along with Gore and a number of Twilight guards, took their first steps onto the surge needle. At first though, Arcurion was confused. He'd expected the structure to be thrumming with stored arcane energies, so strong he could feel it even through his frozen body. Yet he felt nothing, not even the tiniest thrum of arcane energy. He turned to face Gore, who also bore the same surprised expression on his face.

"I thought this place was meant to be filled with arcane energies?!" Gore demanded, turning to face his guards as if they had an explanation for the state of the surge needle. When they simply returned confused gestures, Gore let out a growl a he waved dismissively at them, before turning to Arcurion, hoping the Ice Ascendant had an answer. "Well?"

"I...do not know." Arcurion stated flatly, causing Gore to growl angrily in response.

"Well I can't tell the Twilight Father we've uncovered an absolutely useless artefact that was meant to help turn the tide!" Gore growled, kicking a stray piece of ice off the platform, where it shattered into small fragments.

"It WILL turn the tide, mortal." an authoritative voice declared, causing all to turn in its direction. "Just not in its current state."

Standing before the Cultists was Onyxia, though she was in her mortal form, a purple fur cloak wrapped around her slim form. As she walked forward, the guards dropped to their knees whilst both Gore and Arcurion bowed in acknowledgement. She sauntered forward before stopping at the object at the centre of the platform, a dull blue orb that was raised on a grey stand. She placed a hand on the orb, and for a brief second, it began to thrum with arcane energy. Then, as quickly as it had started, it halted.

"What just happened?" Gore asked, looking around at the platform in slight awe. Just like the orb in the centre, for a brief second the runes on the platform thrummed back to life, and all of them had felt the platform begin to rise up before settling again.

"The surge needle is nearly drained of its power. It needs to feed on arcane energies." Onyxia stated matter of factly.

"Such as the blood of a Dragon..." Arcurion responded, earning a curt nod from Onyxia.

"That is correct, Ascendant." Onyxia replied, turning to face Arcurion in the process. "But not just any Dragon, one who has the blood of an Aspect within them. A Blue Aspect, before you get any ideas."

"Well we have one with us who's filled with Blue Aspect blood." Gore responded with a savage smile, readjusting the grip on his weapon, almost as if he could picture carving up the Dragon right in front of him. "Let's bring her up here right now and carve her up."

"No," Onyxia quickly responded, earning a confused stare from Gore in the process. "Like I said, the surge needle is nearly drained of power. In order to revitalise it, we would need to drain a Dragon dry. The process would surely kill it, and our captive Scion is much more useful to us alive."

"What of her child?" Arcurion asked, stepping forward slightly, causing his joints to creak slightly. "Will the Whelp suffice?"

"The Whelpling would be of no use." Onyxia dismissed quickly. "Not only would it be too small to properly power the device, but its blood is muddied by whomever its father was."

"Well there are only two others that we know of, and we can't exactly get our hands on them." Gore growled in frustration, muttering curses beneath his breath.

"On the contrary, we don't need to bring either one of them here." Onyxia replied with a coy grin, causing both Arcurion and Gore to look at her expectantly. "The surge needles were connected not just to the ley lines, but an artefact protected in the heart of the Azure Dragonshrine."

"The Focusing Iris?" Arcurion asked, earning yet another nod from Onyxia in the process.

"How else would Malygos be able to redirect the ley lines from the safety of his home?" Onyxia rhetorically asked, her hands held out to the twin Cultists. "We spill the blood of an Aspect on the Focusing Iris, and it will reinvigorate the surge needle."

"There's still the matter of the fact that the item we need to activate the surge needle is in the heart of enemy territory." Gore replied bluntly, pointing in the general direction of the Azure Dragonshrine.

"We will cross that bridge when we get to it, mortal." Onyxia rebuked bluntly. "For now, we will focus on using another power source to reinvigorate the surge needle."

"And what power would that be?" Gore asked, folding his arms across his chest.

With a roll of her eyes, Onyxia turned to face the orb in the centre. Raising both arms, she began to chant in a foreign tongue, purple energy bleeding out of her palms. Then, with a wave of her hands, a bolt of energy flew towards the orb crashing against it like a ball of water. The surge needle began to thrum once again, though not with arcane energy, but with void energy. She turned towards the two, who simply stared in awe at the platform again.

"Why blood and shadow of course." Onyxia said matter of factly, before leaving the group on the platform, which was once again beginning to slowly rise up.

"Where the hell are we going to find blood?" Gore asked stupendously, facing the direction Onyxia had left. This time however, there was a dismissive sneer from Arcurion as he too began to leave the platform, along with the guards.

"We have slaves don't we?" Arcurion asked darkly. "Let's use them."

 **00000000**

Kirygosa had heard everything, even from the confines in her cage. Not only did she hear it, but she felt it as well. A surge needle was being reactivated, but also being desecrated by the Cultists profane ways. Not only that, but they were planning an assault on her home. This she could not allow. A prisoner she may be, but she would still do her best to aid her people. She looked to her son, who turned to face her with a curious gaze. He knew as well, even at this young an age what was transpiring above.

There was a sudden creak as a small door opened before her, one used by the Cultists to bring food or exact suffering upon her. Though there was something odd about the pair, almost a sense of unease around them.

"You know what will happen if we get caught!" the more nervous of the Cultists hissed, the second turning to look at her comrade. "They'll flay us alive, or worse!"

"What could be worse then being flayed alive?" the second Cultist, the braver of the two, asked.

"Well I don't know." the first Cultist replied, her voice a slight whine to it.

"Exactly." the second Cultist replied, a ring of keys in her hands. "Besides, they won't know it was us anyway."

Without another word, the Cultist began to pull on the chain around the Whelps ankle, causing him to shriek in alarm as he was slowly dragged away. Kirygosa wailed in dread as her child was taken from her, writhing against her chains in an effort to break free. When he was in reach, the Cultist grabbed the Whelp by the scruff of its neck, picking it up off the floor. Seemingly for the first time in its life, the Whelp began to hiss and growl at the Cultist, lashing out with both tooth and claw. Rather then waist time, the Cultist simply punched the Whelp in the gut, knocking the wind out of it.

"Quickly, the vial." the Cultist demanded, the first Cultist fumbling quickly for the vial strapped to her waist as the second unsheathed a dagger with her free hand. "Let's bleed this bastard."

 _SNAP!_

The Cultists turned in horror at the noise, which was followed swiftly by the sound of a chain clattering on the floor. Kirygosa roared loudly as she felt a measure of freedom, even if only for a moment. The Cultists simply stared at the Dragoness, dropping their possessions in the process. Dropping her child. As if it could taste its freedom, the small Whelp began to rush towards the open door.

"Oh no you don't you little-"

The Cultist who had just seconds ago tried to carve up the Whelpling was suddenly screaming in agony as a set of jaws closed around her. Kirygosa raised the Cultist off her feet, swinging her wildly as her limbs flayed about uncontrollably. She may have been weak, but she could still deliver fatal damage if need be. As soon as she felt the Cultist go limp, she released her grip on them, sending them flying towards the wall with a wet thud.

That was when she felt a stab of pain arc over her body, sending her to the ground. The first Cultist had begun to channel energy into her, causing her to growl in agony. It was a spell used by the Cultists whenever they tortured her, though it was rarely used lest she became desensitised to its pain. And such a decision was proving to be beneficial to the Cultist at this moment in time. There was shouting outside as the Cultists were finally becoming aware of the commotion.

The large doors at the entrance swung open as a throng of Twilight Grimm suddenly swarmed over her, pinning her to the ground with little effort. The Cultists followed soon after, the lead Cultist walking forward towards Kirygosa. She couldn't see his face thanks to the mask he wore, but she saw the anger in his eyes as he turned to the surviving Cultist, grabbing her by the throat as he asked a question that sent a flicker of hope through her.

"Where the hell is the child?!"

 **00000000**

 **And done. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review. If you have any questions, either ask in your review or PM me. Next update should be around November 24th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	16. The Storm

**Hello everyone. Welcome back to the next update, where I'm actually on time again (ha, take that procrastination!). Now, onto review responses. Shadowwolf1997; well, I guess we'll find out if he got away or not. And JaDe In NighT; I've already made my decision in regards to going forward with the series, and I intend to finish this story first before progressing further. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 16- The Storm**

Onyxia was furious. Beyond furious. After some very strict orders that Kirygosa or her child were not to be used as sacrificial offerings, she had just been informed that a pair of Cultists had tried to use the child as an anonymous sacrifice. And not only that, but she had also been told that during the ensuing chaos, that the child had escaped. They had of course sent hunters after him, but he was long gone, lost in the approaching blizzard, that even now was beginning to beat down upon her scaled hide.

A blizzard of this magnitude was long overdue, and it made flying nearly impossible for anyone save a Blue Dragon, and even they wouldn't risk flying in such brutal conditions none stop. As Doom's Vigil came into view, she saw the Twilight Elementalists doing their best to halt the storm. She trudged forward, snarling viciously as she entered the vicinity of the camp, the screams of the slaves as they were sacrificed to sate the surge needle becoming lost in the wind, even at this distance.

She continued forward, shaking the snow off of her back as she made her way to where Kirygosa was being kept, along with the surviving Cultist. The doors swung open, showing the occupants of the room to the light of day. Kirygosa laid still, even more chains binding her to the ground than before, as well as binding spells. She could neither move nor talk, though it did not stop the Twilight Grimm assigned to guard her from sitting atop, the beast hissing as its fanged maw neared her open eye, which showed no fear.

There were a number of Cultists as well, armed with spears, surrounding the restrained Dragoness, the tips of the weapons aimed at vital limbs and organs. If she so much as thought to move, she would pay for it dearly. And then, near the doors themselves were Arcurion and the surviving Cultist, the latter of which had been stripped of her armour and weapons, leaving her only in her basic linen under armour.

"This is the one?" Onyxia asked, turning to Arcurion as she pointed a hooked claw at the Cultist next to him.

"Please my Lady, it wasn't my idea!" the Cultist suddenly said, before Arcurion could answer. In response, the Ice Ascendant let out a shrill hiss as he backhanded the Cultist, who yelled in pain as the icy knuckles struck her cheek, killing the skin cells and turning them black immediately.

"You will speak when spoken to, traitor." Arcurion reprimanded, pointing a frozen claw at the Cultist, who cautiously stroked where Arcurion had struck her.

"Really?" Onyxia began, her attention on the Cultist, choosing to ignore Arcurion's statement. "Convenient then, that the one who is dead is the sole mastermind behind this scheme."

"Please, I swear to you, she made me do it." the Cultist begged, her tears freezing to her skin just by being in the mere presence of Arcurion. "She thought that if we sacrificed the child in secret and offered its blood to the surge needle, it would speed up the process."

"And what, pray tell, would you do if someone found the body?" Onyxia asked, holding a clawed hand out. "How would you explain away a large serration across the body?"

"I- I told her the exact same thing." the Cultist meekly replied, turning away shyly as she spoke.

"They say the best laid plans can fail at the last hurdle," Onyxia chuckled, before her tone grew considerably darker. "But this was not one of them."

"Please, I beg of you, show mer-"

"Silence!" Onyxia roared, rearing up to her full height as fire and shadow began to build up in her maw.

Arcurion, realising what was about to happen, sent a wave of ice towards the Cultist, freezing her legs to the ground before he created an icy shell around him. The Cultist began to beg and plead as she tried to free herself, but to no avail. Without another word, Onyxia unleashed a stream of shadowflame at the Cultist, who screamed in pain for only a second before she was reduced to a smouldering husk. With a dismissive growl, she swatted what was left of the Cultist away, scattering her ashes to the wind. Moments later the shell around Arcurion dispersed, who looked briefly at the black patch on the ground where the Cultist had been before turning to face Onyxia, who let out a huff of anger before leaving, the Ice Ascendant close behind her.

"No one goes in or out of that damned prison without my say so." Onyxia hissed. "I do not want a repeat of today."

"Yes, my Lady." Arcurion replied, nodding his head in respect. "What of the child?"

"Forget about him." Onyxia growled, turning to face the outskirts of Doom's Vigil, where the blizzard hammered the surrounding plains. "This storm will kill him long before we do."

 **00000000**

Cold. He was so cold. He had managed to escape from the clutches of the Twilight's Hammer, and the camp was far away now, but a storm had come and now it was lost. Everywhere it looked, snow blocked his vision. It was beautiful, in its own way. But it would kill him soon. He did only what he could, which was to press onwards. He let out a desperate cry for help, though he didn't know if any soul could hear him. He stretched his wings in an attempt to fly, though his body was so malnourished that they would not be able to carry him far.

Once again, he let out another cry, and once again it went unanswered. As he trudged forward, he spotted a shape in the distance, moving towards him. Blinded by the storm, he let out a cry to gains its attention. Slowly it turned, its soulless eyes boring into him. Too late did he realise what it was, as the Ursa began to run towards him. The Grimm let out a savage growl as it surged forward, spurred on by the prospect of fresh meat.

There was a savage growl as something slim and cat like leapt onto the Grimm's back, causing it to topple forward slightly as it tried to turn towards its attacker. It spun around, the beast on its back being flung off and landing in the snow on all fours. A snow leopard, its sabre like fangs dripping with Grimm blood, which also stained its snow white fur. It was joined by another snow leopard, and another, and then another. That was when a spear was flung from deep within the blizzard, piercing the hind quarters of the Ursa. It let out a savage roar as it spun around, only for a large arrow to strike its shoulder, causing it to growl in pain. Figures garbed in leather and bone, human in appearance but clearly not, sprung out of the blizzard, surrounding the Ursa as they began to stab and thrust at the Grimm, causing it to growl and roar in pain and fury as the snow leopards also descended on the Grimm, felling it within seconds.

As the hunters let out howls of victory, one of them turned to the Whelpling, his skull like helmet hiding all features except for his Goliath like tusks. Immediately sensing the danger, the Whelpling turned and ran, the crunching of snow following closely behind it. There was a roar from the hunter as he flung a spear at the Whelpling, the lethal projectile barely missing him by an inch. He continued to flee, his small heart beating drastically inside him.

He then tumbled forward, and then he felt himself rolling down. With a thud he landed in a pile of fresh snow, plucking himself free and racing forward again. He could no longer hear the treads of his pursuer, no doubt having long given up. As he trudged forward, he could feel his body weakening, his energy drained from his escape. He collapsed in the snow, which began to blanket him rapidly, having long spent the energy to even shake it off. He let out one last pitiful cry, hoping that someone would hear it in the depths of the storm.

 **00000000**

"Why did you think it was a good idea to fly during a storm?!" Weiss shouted, her teeth clattering together as the cold of the blizzard set in around her. Under normal circumstances, she would have wrapped her arms around her body to conserve warmth, but she was too busy holding onto the back of Narygos to attempt such a thing.

"Bah, you humans are too soft, you know." Narygos shouted back, his voice carrying a hint of humour in it. "A blizzard like this is all you need to harden you up."

"Only because it'll freeze the blood in my veins first!" Weiss rebuked, causing Narygos to chuckle in response.

"Details, details..." Narygos laughed, causing Weiss to roll her eyes exaggeratedly in response.

"But seriously, how far away are we from your home?" Weiss asked, a serious tone in her voice.

"It's hard to tell." Narygos admitted, craning his head slightly as if he were trying to spot something in the distance. "It might be best to wait this storm out first, but who knows how long that will-"

The Drake suddenly went silent as he perched his head up, stopping mid-flight in the process. He turned his head again in every direction, Weiss' brow furrowing in concern in the sudden shift in demeanour.

"Nar, what is it?" Weiss asked, leaning forward slightly so she were closer to his head.

"Shhh! Listen." Narygos ordered, causing Weiss to stay silent. Try as she might, she couldn't hear what had irked Narygos so much, until at last the Blue Drake swivelled to the left and suddenly surged forward with renewed effort. "Over here."

The Blue Drake then powered forward with renewed strength into the blizzard, the snow stinging Weiss' face. Soon she could barely make out what she assumed was the ground, as Narygos seemingly ploughed into it before rising up. Swerving his head about, he then began to fly deeper into the blizzard, causing Weiss to cringe slightly as more snow stung her face and covered her body. Eventually, Weiss could make out the outline of a cave, which thankfully they soon made it inside.

The cave was relatively large, big enough for the both of them and then some. At the back was a rack of weapons, as well as some wood and pelts. Judging by the quality of the weapons on the rack, that the cave hadn't been used in some time. Sliding off of Narygos' back, she began to stretch her limbs, wincing slightly at the effort.

"Quickly, get a fire going." Narygos said quickly, holding something close to his chest.

With a sigh, Weiss unsheathed _Myrtenaster_ , sliding the revolver within until it landed on a canister of Fire Dust. Grabbing some of the spare wood and placing it into a pile, she pointed _Myrtenaster_ at the pile of wood, the surface of the blade glowing red. A small rune appeared beneath the log pile, which quickly imploded, sending the log up in flames immediately. She could feel the warmth immediately, letting out a content sigh as she knelt next to the small fire.

Before she could ask what Narygos had found, he had already laid it next to the fire. Weiss let out a horrified gasp as her hands went to her mouth as she laid eyes on it. It was small, maybe about the size of a dog, and it laid shivering next to the fire. It looked almost like Narygos, though it's scales were lighter, and it was covered in scars. Its bones were also showing, its ribs expanding as it took deep shallow breaths.

"Oh my god..." Weiss whispered, looking up at Narygos. "Is that a-"

"Blue Dragon, yes." Narygos replied, nudging the Whelpling gently with his snout. Weakly, it turned to face him, letting out a pathetic chirp before it lowered its head again. "He must be a few months old at best."

"What happened to him?" Weiss asked, gingerly placing a hand over a bloodied mark on his back, which had frozen over slightly.

"I do not know." Narygos admitted, letting out a sad growl as he began to lay down next to Whelpling, using his own body warmth to heat up the Whelpling as best as he could.

"Will he live?" Weiss asked, watching helplessly as the Whelpling immediately snuggled up next to Narygos.

"It is not for me to say." Narygos admitted. "We must get him to the Azure Sanctum as soon as possible, where Erygos will make his verdict."

"Is there anything I can do?" Weiss asked, Narygos turning to face her with what she assumed was a smile.

"You've done more then your fair share already, Weiss." Narygos responded, before nodding his head dismissively. "Go get some sleep, you'll need it for later."

"All right then..." Weiss replied, stretching again as she let out a yawn. "Good night Nar..."

"And you too, Weiss." Narygos replied, lowering his head as he began to close his eyes.

"...wait, did you just call me Nar?"

 **00000000**

 **And done. I know it was a bit shorter than usual and I'm sorry about that, but what're you going to do about? Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcome. Any questions? Either leave in your review or PM me with your questions. Next update should be December 8th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	17. Here Be Dragons

**Hello everyone. Sorry for the lack of an update yesterday, ended up being really busy with Christmas decorations. No reviews to respond to today, so let's get on with it. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 17- Here Be Dragons**

Narygos sat by the embers of the fire, his body wrapped around both the body of the small Whelpling and Weiss. Calling upon his innate arcane powers, he blew a small stream of spellfire onto the dying fire, reigniting it again. His attention went back to the Whelpling, which shivered slightly before settling down again. He was concerned about the Whelplings origins. It looked to be a few months old at best, and judging from the many scars it had been imprisoned for just as long.

He wasn't aware of any raids on the Dragonshrine's Sanctum, where the young were kept until they were old enough to fend for themselves. There was no doubt as to who the kidnappers were, it could only be the Twilight's Hammer, though the young were rarely kept alive for long, and most were often twisted into the so called Twilight Grimm. So what was different about this one? Why was he kept alive?

A slight moan made him turn his attention to the sleeping Weiss, who shifted slightly in her sleep before stilling. He had to admit, he was rather fond of the Human. At first the thought of interacting with a Human was a foreign concept, but in time, he grew to respect Weiss. Respect then turned to admiration, and admiration turned to...something else, he wasn't quite sure.

As Weiss began to stir from her slumber, Narygos quickly turned away, returning his attention to the Whelpling, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. Weiss stifled a yawn as she stretched her arms outwards, groaning slightly when she felt the muscles in her limbs tighten slightly before relaxing. Her attention was quickly brought to the camp-fire she had made last night, a look of surprise appearing on her face upon realising the blue colouration of the flames.

"Sleep well?" Narygos asked, Weiss turning her attention to the Drake in question.

"Yes, thank you." Weiss replied, her hands held out to the flames, which was warm despite their colouration. "You?"

"I took what little sleep I cold, but I'll be fine thank you." Narygos answered, nodding slightly in appreciation. He turned his head towards the mouth of the cave, the pale sun glistening upon the surface of the snow. "Blizzard seems to have died down. We should move whilst the sky is still clear."

"Right, how far is it?" Weiss asked as she stood up, kicking some snow over the azure flames, extinguishing the fire immediately.

"Not long, we should get there within a day." Narygos assured, lowering himself to the ground so that Weiss could climb aboard, whilst at the same time he scooped the Whelpling up into his claws, holding him close to his chest.

He then turned and left the cave, squinting slightly as the rising sun struck his eyes, temporarily blinding him. He then stretched his wings out, flexing them slightly as the sun warmed them up. Then, with a single powerful beat, he was in the air, hovering slightly above the ground. He continued to beat his wings, the powerful thrusts keeping him suspended in the air as if he were on puppet strings. Then, he thrust himself forward, flying forward at a slow pace, before increasing his speed considerably. Then he flew higher and higher till it seemed like they would touch the clouds themselves.

Weiss was still enchanted by the majesty of it all. She had always known what it was like to fly, but to fly with the wind in your face and the sun kissing her skin was an entirely different sensation. It made all the times she'd flown before feel like she'd been confined in a metal coffin, which she might as well have been to be honest.

They continued to fly, approaching a wall of mountains, their peaks capped with ice. She looked down, seeing what appeared to be the ruins of an ancient city beneath them. She saw numerous figures milling about below, many of them armed with spears and swords.

"Who are those people?" Weiss shouted, pointing to the ground below. Narygos shifted his gaze to the ground where Weiss was pointing before resuming his course.

"Ice Trolls." Narygos said, before he flew higher into the air. "Don't worry, they shouldn't be an issue at this height."

"The fact you had to tell me that makes me worried." Weiss murmured quietly, too quiet for the Drake to properly hear. She prayed she wouldn't ever meet a Troll in person, let alone face one in combat.

As Narygos cleared the mountains, Weiss took her time to admire the natural beauty around them. Besides them a falcon flew, the bird of prey squawking loudly as it kept up with the massive reptile, before it split off in search of food. It was at that moment that Weiss returned her gaze to the ground, her eyes quickly going wide in shock at what was before her.

In front of her, just on the horizon, was a massive forest, the likes of which she had never seen. Slender silver trunks reached high into the air, each one glowing blue and illuminating the sky in spite of the presence of the sun. Massive crystals also erupted from the ground, each one thrumming with energy, perhaps more so then most Dust refineries. Her thoughts immediately went to her Father, who would probably be drooling at the sight of such a potential profit. She banished the ugly thought almost immediately.

"Is...is this your home?" Weiss finally asked, turning to Narygos, who appeared to be smiling somewhat.

"Yes, the Azure Dragonshrine. Home to my kin." Narygos eagerly replied. "We will be safe there, I assure you."

As they came closer to the Dragonshrine, Weiss was beginning to make out shapes weaving around the trees. At first she couldn't make them out, but as they got closer she began to make out certain features. Features that were recognisable. And it was as some of them began to make their way towards them, did Weiss finally recognise what they were.

More Dragons.

"Narygos, about time you returned." one of them said as he flew close to them, Narygos staying still in the air as the other Dragons began to circle them. "And with a Human pet no less."

"Excuse me?" Weiss angrily demanded from the Dragon, who barely turned to face her. "I have a name you know, and I'm not a 'Human pet'!"

"You're just full of spunk, aren't you?" another said, her large reptilian head gazing at Weiss. "I bet you're lightning under the bedsheets, darling."

Weiss let out a horrified and disgusted noise at what the Dragon was suggesting as she blushed considerably in embarrassment. Narygos let out what sounded like a snarl as he bore his teeth at the Dragon, who flew back slightly in response.

"Pray tell, what do you carry in your talons?" a third Dragon asked, lowering his head in an attempt to steal a glance. "Another human perhaps?"

"No, I carry a child of the Flight. He needs assistance now if he is to survive!" Narygos explained rapidly to the gathered Dragons. Almost immediately the Dragons mood shifted, even Weiss could tell despite their somewhat alien faces.

"This way, we must get him to Erygos immediately!" the female Dragon declared, turning tail as she flew back into the forest. The other Dragons were quick to follow, along with Narygos. Weiss simply prayed that they wouldn't be too late.

 **00000000**

"Kalecgos, pass me the Greatstaff of the Magna will you?"

Kalecgos sighed as he turned away from the elder Blue Dragon, who's snout was buried in some ancient tome of sorts. It had been nearly a week since his punishment had began, and each day had been as exhausting as the last. Arcanagos had been extremely busy, with what the Blue Dragon did not want to share. At least not with him, anyway.

As he approached the pile of artefacts, he began to bury his own head in them, trying his best to fish out the Staff in question. There was the Staff known as Light's Wrath, not what he was looking for. The ancient Rifle Titanstrike, also not what he was looking for. He mentally shivered as he brushed past the Dagger that called itself Xal'atath, the deceptive whispers of the weapon already trying to coerce him to insanity. Then there was the ancient Sword Felo'melorn and the Staff Ebonchill, and just beside them…

"Finally." Kalecgos muttered, before gently picking up the Greatstaff with his jaws, returning with the weapon to Arcanagos.

"About time you returned." Arcanagos briskly replied, not even bothering to face Kalecgos. "What took you so long?"

"Where do you want me to put it?" Kalecgos asked, his voice garbled thanks to the weapon in his mouth.

"Hmm? Oh, just somewhere over there." Arcanagos hummed slightly, gently turning a page with his claw.

Kalecgos sighed in annoyance as he did so, gently placing the Greatstaff on the ground so he would not anger the Arcane entity trapped within. He then turned his attention to the book that Arcanagos was reading, the Dragon totally engrossed in the tome.

"What are you reading?" Kalecgos asked, attempting to steal a glance at the book.

"None of your business, that's what." Arcanagos dismissed, causing Kalecgos to huff in annoyance in response. He didn't catch much of the books contents, save for a picture of the Moon, though the celestial entity seemed more intact than it usually was.

There was a sudden gust of wind as another Blue Dragon flew into the area, nearly scattering the pages to the wind, causing Arcanagos roaring in annoyance as he turned to snap at the newcomer.

"Mind where you're flying, you great blue half-wit!" Arcanagos snapped, the Dragon in question blushing in embarrassment as he lowered his head in shame.

"Apologies, Lord Arcanagos." the Blue Dragon hastily replied, before he turned his attention to Kalecgos. "Lord Kalecgos, your charge has returned with a wounded child of the Flight and a Human. Lord Senegos has requested your presence immediately."

"A Human?! In the Dragonshrine?!" Arcanagos roared, before letting out what sounded like a moan of disappointment. "Never would have gotten away with that back in my day."

"I assume you have no further duties for me, my Lord?" Kalecgos asked, turning to face Arcanagos in the process.

"Hmm?" Arcanagos replied, seemingly lost in his own thoughts temporarily. "No, nothing else. I think you can consider your sentence fulfilled Kalecgos. You'll only end up getting in the way now."

"Thank you, Lord Arcanagos." Kalecgos said, trying his best to hide the annoyance in his voice. He then turned to face the newcomer, gesturing him to lead the way.

 **00000000**

Weiss watched from afar as Narygos spoke with a much larger Dragon, his scales a bright cyan colour in contrast to Narygos' own scales. Between the two was the Whelpling they had found, which was taking deep and shallow breaths as it bathed in the arcane waters. She didn't know how badly wounded the Whelpling had been at first, but upon seeing the Whelplings within the Dragonshrine's Sanctum, she realised just how dire the situation was.

One of the healthy Whelps approached Weiss warily, letting out an inquisitive screech as it prowled forward. Weiss smiled slightly as she held out a hand towards the baby Dragon, which stepped back initially before slowly approaching. As the Whelpling came within reach, she began to gently rub the Dragons head, the Whelpling seemingly purring in elation. More Whelplings began to approach the Heiress, Weiss doing her best to give each and everyone of them equal attention. The Whelplings soon began to snap at one another as they vied for the most attention, before they all charged off back to the centre of the Sanctum, Weiss laughing slightly as they began to play fight with one another.

"She's just over there, my Lord." she heard a voice behind her say, causing Weiss to turn and face it immediately. Within her view were four Dragons, three of which were facing her as they spoke to a fourth, who was smaller than the others.

"Thank you, you may return to your duties." the middle Dragon said, who seemed to be the oldest of the three.

Weiss stood to attention as the three Dragons began to walk towards her, Weiss analysing their appearances as best as she could. As she suspected, the middle one was the eldest of the group, and seemed to hold an air of authority around him. On his left was a younger Dragon, who she recognised as the one who fought Prestor back at the Schnee Manor. And on the elder Dragons right was another Dragon, who she seemed to think was glaring at her. She would have to watch out for him, it seemed. As the three Dragons approached, Weiss performed a curtsey, staying down until given permission to rise.

"Greetings, my Lords." Weiss greeted, doing her best to be as respectful as possible. These were extremely powerful and ancient beings, and she did not want to inadvertently anger one of them. "I am honoured to meet you all. My name is-"

"Please, child. There is no need to stand on ceremony here." the old Dragon reassured, chuckling slightly as he spoke. "Stand up child, so I may get a good look at you."

Weiss could feel her cheeks redden as she stood to full height, her hands behind her back. The old Dragon lowered his head as he seemed to examine her, his pupil darting up and down as if he were scrutinising every aspect of her body.

"I see, a fine specimen indeed." the old Dragon murmured to himself as he raised his head. "Allow me to introduce myself; I am Senegos. This here is Arygos, Scion of Malygos. And this is Kalecgos, who I'm sure you already know."

"It is good to see you again, Miss Schnee." Kalecgos said, nodding his head in greeting. Weiss almost did a double take at his voice. She knew that voice, and that name.

"Wait, that was you, wasn't it?" Weiss murmured, pointing at the Dragon in question. "At the manor, the night of the charity event."

"Indeed it was." Kalecgos chuckled knowingly. "I remember you saved my hide from Onyxia's wrath."

"So that was her real name then? Onyxia?" Weiss asked at the mention of the former Lady Prestor. "I always thought she was a reptile."

"Indeed. You have our thanks for uncovering the plot of the Black Dragonflight." Senegos complimented, nodding his gargantuan head in response. "Our Flight is in your debt."

"Hardly." Arygos said for the first time, sneering in disgust. "Now if that is all, I have important matters to attend to."

Weiss watched, somewhat miffed, as the third Dragon turned and left, leaving her in the company of Senegos and Kalecgos.

"Pay him no heed." Senegos told Weiss, watching the Dragon leave before turning his attention back to Weiss. "These are currently trying times for us all."

"I understand." Weiss said, the elder Dragon nodding in thanks.

"Know that you are an honoured guest in our home, Miss Schnee." Kalecgos then said, Weiss turning to face him as he spoke. "You may stay with Narygos in his roost, though we will be more then happy to find you a more suitable accommodation if you do not find it to your liking."

"Thank you, though I think I will be fine." Weiss said, the twin Dragons nodding their heads.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I must have words with Erygos about this Whelpling you found." Senegos said, lumbering forward towards the Ley Guardian, the many Whelplings suddenly flocking towards the elder Dragon.

"If you'll follow me, Miss Schnee." Kalecgos said, nodding to the Heiress to follow him as he also lumbered forward, Weiss following close behind.

She had a feeling she was going to like it here.

 **00000000**

 **And done! Sorry it's short, but I felt like I'd done enough for the chapter. A little announcement, there will be no more updates this year. It's too close to the Holidays for me to be writing, so the next update will instead be the first weekend of the New Year, on the 5th maybe. Liked it? Feel free to review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either PM me or leave in your review. See you in the new year!**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	18. Dragonsmoot

**I'm back! Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a good Christmas like I did. So with the Holidays over, it's time to return to story writing. No reviews to respond to, so let's get right to it. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 18- Dragonsmoot**

Weiss had been certain about a lot of things in the past. She'd been certain that she was the most ideal candidate to be a Team Leader. She'd been certain that all Faunus were as wicked as the White Fang. And she'd been certain that Dragons were nothing but a mere fairy tail. And she'd been wrong about all of them. Turns out she was not the most ideal candidate for a Team Leader position, most likely due to her at the time prejudiced views. She had learned that not all Faunus were like the White Fang, and her Team mate and friend Blake had been one of them. And Dragons were very much real, though thankfully they were not like the minstrel's fancies would have you believe.

But there was one thing she had been certain of her entire life. That her Father's Meeting Room was one of the most dangerous places to be. She'd been dragged into them by her Father, who insisted that she needed to learn the basics of running a business, and where better to learn than watching her Father. She'd seen everything about her Father in there. The lies, the veiled threats, all of it enough to scar someone for a life time. She was certain that she would never find a more dangerous place to be then that office.

Guess who was wrong? Again?

Turns out the only thing more dangerous than her Father's meetings was a meeting between an entire Flight of Dragons. Not that they were anything like her Father, mind you, but it didn't discount the fact that she'd been nearly crushed by a swinging tail or a clumsy foot every ten seconds. And then of course there were the times the Dragons would snap and snarl at one another, which added death by tooth or magic to the ever growing list of dangers. She was so focused on avoiding these dangers that she could barely focus on what the Dragons had been discussing at first. It was until Narygos noticed her plight and had allowed her to perch on his head that she began to make out what was being discussed.

Most of it was rudimentary things such as the levels of Arcane Energy in the Sanctum and their effects on the local wildlife, her formal introduction (which she had apparently missed), the migration of the local Ice Trolls who were apparently leaving their homes, a count of the treasures within the Arcane Vault (which she definitely intended to visit at some point) as well as a head count of all the Whelps and eggs. Which was where she started to really pay attention.

"I can indeed confirm that all of this seasons young are accounted for, with zero losses." the Ley Guardian Erygos stated, many Dragons humming or sighing in relief.

"What of the Whelpling retrieved by Narygos?" Senegos asked, the attention of the Dragons flitting to Narygos for a brief second before returning to Erygos. "Will he live?"

"I am pleased to report that the Whelpling will live." Erygos confirmed, causing Weiss to release a breath she did not know she'd been holding. "Whilst the identity of the child is still unknown, nor the cause of his disappearance, we are still investigating the matter."

"That is good to know. Thank you, Erygos." Senegos said, nodding his head in appreciation. "Now onto other matters. I believe that our friend Arcanagos has discovered something of value to our situation."

"Indeed I have." an elder Dragon announced, clearing his throat as he stepped forward.

Weiss could tell that this Dragon was nearly as old as Senegos just by listening to him, but he looked much younger. His build was like that of most Dragons Weiss had seen save for a golden band around his left forearm, the real difference being his head and neck. A row of webbed spines ran down the length of his neck from the back of his skull to where his wings connected, which hummed with arcane energy. His snout was elongated like most Dragons, with a horned jaw that jutted out slightly, and a pair of large horns that pointed forward.

"Alongside my colleague Azuregos, we have both made a grand revelation." Arcanagos began, nodding his head towards another Dragon who also stepped forward.

Like most Dragons, his build was more or less the same as most Dragons, though he was noticeably more different. A large pair of horns curled out from the back of his head, and he had multiple crystallised horns jutting out of his nose, neck and jaw. He also had a pair of large frilled ears that looks almost elven, and the webbing of his wings stretched all the way down to his tail.

"As I'm sure you are all aware, Malygos is indeed dying." Azuregos explained, causing a number of sombre murmurs to echo across the gathered Dragons. "As he nears the end of his life, we have all been plagued by one question: who will succeed him as Aspect?"

"For months, we have searched for an answer as to who will replace him as Aspect, and how such a process can be achieved." Arcanagos continued, only to be interrupted by a small cough.

"Forgive me, my Lords." Weiss began, growing nervous upon noticing that every single Dragon was currently fixated on her. "But if an Aspect has never been in this situation before, how do you know that there can be a second Aspect? What if there is only ever one?"

Weiss had expected her question to be met with some regard, perhaps even give the Dragons pause. Instead, all she received was laughter at her question. Sure, some of the Dragons did indeed give her question some thought, but the majority simply laughed at her. She even heard Narygos stifle a chuckle, which was rewarded by a swift kick to his jaw.

"An amusing question, little Human. But rest assured that such a scenario is unlikely." Azuregos explained, still laughing to the extent he was nearly crying. "Whilst what you say has some truth to it, it is very likely that the Maidens who gifted the Aspects their power, in some rare show of divine wisdom, most likely foresaw that such a situation as our own was inevitable, and most likely made steps for such an occasion."

"Wait, the Maidens?" Weiss asked, not entirely sure she heard correctly. "As in the Four Maidens of Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall?"

"Yes, those Maidens. Weren't you paying attention?!" Azuregos snapped quite angrily, causing Weiss to blush somewhat. Add the existence of the Four Maidens onto her growing list of things she had been wrong about.

"Anyway," Arcanagos interceded, perhaps before the conversation could escalate further. "After much research, we have come across a discovery. It is believed that on the night the Aspects were empowered, the moon of Remnant was aligned so that to the mortal eye it looked almost whole once again. It is our belief that such an alignment was not a coincidence, and may have held some spiritual significance to the choosing of Aspect. It is our belief that if the moon were to be aligned in such a way again, it might lead to the empowerment of a new Aspect."

"Is there any known ritual to accompany this?" Senegos asked, stepping forward slightly as he spoke. "Any requirements to be met?"

"Not that we have found, no." Azuregos spoke up again, after staying mostly silent during the discussion. "The only requirement that we can think of being relevant is the presence of the Flight and candidate."

"And, pray tell, when is the next occurrence of this so called 'Full Moon'?" Arygos asked, a cold smile spreading across his lips. A smile Weiss immediately disliked.

"According to our calculations, the next Full Moon should be in the next four days." Arcanagos replied.

"Splendid." Arygos replied, the smile only growing as he stood up straighter, turning to all the Dragons present. "I will have to make certain preparations before the event, but I would like to thank all those who supported my claim to my Fathers-"

"No."

There were a number of gasps at the bold statement, even one from Weiss herself as she found herself along with everyone else present staring at the one who had spoken. Kalecgos.

"Excuse me?" Arygos asked, growling slightly as the smile vanished from his face.

"I said no." Kalecgos repeated, this time louder. "I will not stand by and watch you tear apart our noble Flight. Too long have I stood by. Too long have I watched as your malice spread. And I will stand by no longer. I will not let you pollute our kind with your ideology, and corrupt the name of your Father."

"Just what are you saying, Kalecgos..." Arygos hissed, a low growl escaping his maw.

"As is my right as a Lord of the Blue Dragonflight, I hereby put myself forward as candidate for Aspect." Kalecgos announced.

There was an uproar immediately.

The Blue Dragons were all at once roaring and shouting at one another. Some in favour of Kalecgos' words whilst others seemed to have been offended. Weiss was immediately aware that being as small as she was, she was in quite a bit of danger. Even Narygos was getting embroiled in the arguing, perhaps on behalf of Kalecgos. She needed to leave. Now.

Slowly sliding down Narygos' back and down his tail, where there were no other Dragons present thankfully, she quickly left the Draconic gathering. She sighed wearily as she put as much distance between herself and the Dragons. She'd hoped that when she came here, she would be getting away from the politics of Atlas. Instead, she had ended up trading one set of politics for another. The only difference was that she had little say in these politics.

With a sigh, she sat down on a nearby rock, arms folded on her lap as she slumped forward. Almost immediately she heard the tramping of feet, causing her to look up. Narygos was approaching her, a worried expression on his reptilian features.

"I noticed you leave." Narygos commented, Weiss not even looking up to answer him. "I'm sorry about what happened back there. It was an ugly display to say the least."

"I'm not arguing there." Weiss replied, a small smile appearing on her face only to vanish again.

"What's wrong?" Narygos asked, approaching Weiss slowly.

"Nothing, it's just-" Weiss stopped herself, sighing loudly before continuing. "It's just that I thought things would be different here. But so far it's been the same, perhaps worse, and I'm worried it will be exactly like it was in Atlas."

"What are you talking about?" Narygos asked, cocking his head to the side slightly in confusion.

She had to tell him, she realised. She had to tell him how she felt...and how she was afraid history was about to repeat itself.

"I...never really told you about my time before Beacon, have I?" Weiss asked, though it was more of a statement rather than a question. "Before I decided to become a Huntress, my Father would try and arrange a forced marriage to some other wealthy business partner. I never liked any of them...all except one.

"His name was Glacies, Glacies Cobalt. He was the son of a business partner of my Father's, one he wanted absorbed into ours." Weiss began, a small tear streaming down her face as she recalled the boy in question. "We were both very well aware of our situation, and we didn't get along at first. But eventually we began to warm to one another, we became friends, and then we began to truly feel for one another. But we were both well aware that any feelings we had for one another could be used against one another."

"What happened?" Narygos asked.

"We had a plan. We would run off and be free from our Fathers." Weiss replied, laughing slightly in embarrassment. "Clichéd, I know, but it was the only plan we had. But it was then that I received my invitation to attend Beacon. I didn't have the heart to tell him myself, so I sent him a letter telling him I was sorry and wouldn't be joining him. When I came home after Beacon's fall, I learned that his home had burned down, an accident apparently. There were no survivors."

"Why are you telling me this?" Narygos asked, a sympathetic frown on his features.

"Why do you think, dummy?" Weiss asked, causing Narygos to look down in contemplation before the realisation dawned on his features. "I care about you Narygos. I _really_ care about you, and I'm worried that I'll hate it here and leave you behind with nothing but a stupid letter to say I'm sorry."

She half expected Narygos to laugh at her confession, or to simply look at her with a mix of confusion or pity. Instead she was surprised to see that Narygos had a small smile on his face. Not humoured smile, or even a pitiful smile, but a sincere and genuine smile.

"I must admit, I was not expecting to hear such words from you." Narygos admitted. "The more I got to know you, I began to admire you for your courage and perseverance. And it soon became aware to me that these feelings had transcended beyond what I was used to."

"Wha-what are you saying?" Weiss asked, nearly too frightened to ask.

"Weiss, I-...I love you." Narygos admitted, clawed hand over where his heart would be. "I was afraid that you would rebuke my feelings if I ever mentioned them before, but after hearing what you said just now I-"

Narygos paused as Weiss suddenly flung herself towards the Blue Drake, arms wrapped around his neck. The Blue Drake did nothing at first, simply too stunned to act. Then slowly he began to slowly lower his head in a near protective manner, wings wrapped around her. They simply stood there for what felt like an eternity, neither one willing to break the embrace.

 **00000000**

"What do you mean there's been a complication?" Onyxia hissed, her claws digging into the floor beneath her feet as she stared at the dark purple orb.

"The traitor claims that the upstart Kalecgos has put himself forward to the title of Aspect!" Gore reported, the Faunus' voice garbled due to the poor connection. "If he wins that title, the Blue Dragonflight will surely become a thorn in our side!"

"All these years, planning and plotting, about to come crashing down around us because some upstart worm stuck his nose in our business?!" Onyxia snarled, slamming the back of her clawed hand against the wall of her lair, causing the cave to shake slightly before stilling. "No, I won't allow it! I will not disappoint my Father. Not when we are this close to success."

"What do you suppose we do then?" Gore asked incredulously. "That we ride down on the night of the Full Moon and slaughter every Blue Dragon we can find?!"

Onyxia nearly snapped back in response, until a thought came to mind. Yes, that could work. They were nearly finished hear at Doom's Vigil, their work almost complete. All that was needed was the spark of magic to reactivate the surge needle. And it was right in the heart of the Blue Dragonshrine.

"Yes, that is exactly what I propose we do..." Onyxia replied, a sinister tone to her voice.

"What?!" Gore shouted, clearly enraged that Onyxia was going as far as she was.

"Gather every single Dragon rider you can find." Onyxia demanded, silencing the protests of the Faunus. "I want them ready to strike on the night of the Full Moon."

"Anything else, my lady?" the Faunus obliged, though the tone of his voice suggested he wasn't at all happy.

"Send your best one to me." Onyxia demanded, her voice dangerously quiet. "I have a special assignment in mind for them..."

 **00000000**

"Well, that could have gone better."

"You think?" Kalecgos asked as he and Senegos wandered the grounds of the Dragonshrine in their mortal forms.

Kalecgos had chosen on the appearance he had assumed when he had been investigating the Kingdom of Atlas, whilst Senegos had taken upon the appearance of an elderly man with a receding hairline and long beard, his only item of clothing being a pair of sandals and a long blue toga. It was a rather outdated appearance, to say the least, but it wasn't as if they were trying to blend in. After the rather disastrous end to the Dragonsmoot, the two had decided to take a walk in their mortal guises, believing that walking the earth on two feet allowed them to clearly see the world around them.

"That said, if it's any consolation, I am pleased that you decided to step forward as Aspect." Senegos said, turning to face Kalecgos as he spoke.

"Well at least half the Flight agrees with you on that." Kalecgos chuckled, rubbing his hand through his long blue hair.

"It was over half and you know it." Senegos said, hands clasped in front of him. "Besides, many who disagreed with you today did so only for appearances sake. When the time comes, I'm sure they will follow their heart."

"I hope you're right, Senegos." Kalecgos sighed, folding his arms as he turned to the sky.

The sun had set, and the moon now dominated the sky. Even now it looked nearly full, the small fragments not aligned and the hairline cracks in the pieces that were betraying the illusion.

"Let's pray that Arcanagos and Azuregos are right in their beliefs." Kalecgos murmured to himself, watching the celestial body in the sky, enraptured by its beauty.

"Grandfather!"

The urgency of the voice snapped both Senegos and Kalecgos out of their thoughts, quickly turning in their direction to see Stellagosa flying towards them, a look of pain and sorrow on her face.

"Starlight? What is wrong?" Senegos asked, though both he and Kalecgos could feel it before the young Wyrm answered. A pain that cut through their soul.

"Malygos..." Stellagosa began, her voice breaking slightly as a single tear streamed down her face. "He is dead."

 **00000000**

 **And done. Like it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either leave in your review or PM me personally. Next update should be January 19th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	19. Were It So Easy

**Hello everyone. Another day, another chapter. Not going to lie, today is undoubtedly going to be the shortest chapter yet, so sorry in advance. First, let's do review responses though. The True Skull; well that's not actually very hard at all. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 19- Were It So Easy**

It was a quite day within the Dragonshrine. Weiss knew immediately that something was wrong the second she'd awoken. The birds sang no song, the Arcane energies had dulled, and the Dragons had become lethargic. Even the Whelplings, who only the other day had been so full of life and energy, were still, their keening cries filled with pain and heartache. She didn't know what was wrong until she asked one of the Dragons what had happened.

Malygos was dead.

He had died peacefully in the night, no longer able to sustain himself. Some said that his sanity had finally failed him, and that was why he died. Though there had been some who dared say that he had heard the challenge of Kalecgos, and that he had been clinging to life only to deny his son his title. Though none dared tell Arygos that.

She did not understand the pain that the Dragons were going through. The only family member she had lost was Whitley, and they hadn't exactly been the closest of siblings when he passed. She hadn't seen Winter since Beacon, her mother had dedicated her free time to drinking herself to an early grave and then of course there was her Father, which required no explanation. There was of course Glacies, but when she left for Beacon, she'd completely forgotten about him, which no doubt said a lot about her.

'Were it so easy.' She chuckled at the thought of the line. Glacies had said it often enough that it became his official quote. Everyone would link those words with him, perhaps even mock him for it. But he didn't care about that.

She shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts of her former lover. She needed something to do, something to keep her occupied. Her thoughts drifted to the Dragonsmoot yesterday, something about the Arcane Vault that had caught her interest. She wandered somewhat aimlessly through the Dragonshrine, until at last she found herself at the entrance to the magical treasury. She stepped through, finding herself entranced by row after row of magical items.

There were scrolls, books, and even an entire armouries worth of weapons. If Ruby were there, she probably would have passed out and be convulsing on the floor right now. She approached one of the weapons, staring at awe at the craftsmanship of the weapon.

It was a sword, about the same length as _Myrtenaster_ , though the hilt was shaped like a bird with raised wings, the edge of the weapon following the same motif. She could also feel an extreme amount of heat emanating from the blade, made apparent by the yellow glow emerging from the hilt of the blade which gradually became redder and darker as it neared the tip. She felt an urge to grab the weapon and feel it in her hands, to test its weight so to speak.

" _Do not do it! Someone is coming!"_

She froze at the voice. It sounded feminine, but that was not what made her stop. It was the fact that she had heard the voice _inside_ her head.

As she turned to try and find the source of the voice, she saw a large Blue Dragon lumber through the Vault, Azuregos if memory served her well.

" _Hide. He will not ask questions if you are spotted."_ the voice warned her.

Weiss immediately obeyed the voice, dropping low and hiding behind one of the many pedestals. Azuregos walked by without even batting an eye, his gaze focused instead on the items present rather than anything else.

" _You follow orders. Good, you will be useful..."_ the voice purred, Weiss shaking her head in slight discomfort. _"Don't talk yet, little dove. The fool will hear you still."_

Weiss found herself growl in annoyance at being told what to do, but complied nonetheless.

" _I will explain more in due time, but first you must release me from my prison."_ the voice ordered, confusing Weiss even more. _"You see the box, yes? The one within the arcane orb? That is my prison."_

Immediately Weiss found herself staring at a small box, floating within an orb of energy. She approached the rob, hands reaching forward to pluck the box out.

" _I wouldn't do that if I were you."_ the voice warned, Weiss stopping immediately. _"Unless of course you wish to remain a pile of ash for the rest of your days. The blade you were admiring, the one the Dragons call Felo'melorn, a single swing from it should be enough to break this prison."_

Weiss turned to face the blade she had been looking at previously, and began to walk towards it. Yet before she could remove the blade from its resting place, she stopped. Why was she doing this? Why was she following the whims of a disembodied voice? She heard, no...felt, the voice laugh inside her head, almost as if amused by her second thoughts.

" _Intriguing...you are not so easy to influence as I thought you were."_ the voice murmured, though there was a hint of amusement in it. _"It matters little. I have seen what is to come, and regardless of your choice here, I will be free."_

"Why are you imprisoned in the first place?" Weiss asked, turning to face the box as she spoke.

" _My predicament is a long story, little dove."_ the voice explained in a condescending tone. _"The Dragons fear to use me, so instead they hide me away, hoping I will be forgotten by time."_

"So you want to be free?" Weiss asked, looking at the box, feeling some pity for whatever was trapped within.

" _Indeed, little dove. I'm sure you can relate to such a tragedy."_ the voice sighed in a mirthful manner, almost as if reminiscing about freedom. _"Oh I used to be so powerful, we all were. But then my brothers turned on me. Did they fear me? What I could become? Or did they simply follow their nature?"_

"Your brothers?" Weiss asked, perplexed at the notion.

" _Oh yes. There were five of us originally, but then my brethren turned on me, and I was cast off into the Great Dark Beyond. I travelled the cosmos for eternity, until I came here. The Dragons found me, and they grew fearful at what I could achieve."_

"So they imprisoned you..." Weiss finished, not so much a question as it was a clear statement. "I am indeed sorry for what has happened to you, truly I am, but you must have been locked away for a good reason. I won't free you."

" _Oh I think you will."_ the voice answered, almost as if it was a given truth. _"When next we meet, you will free me, and we will do great things together, you and I. Great things."_

Weiss did not respond to the claim. Instead she turned and left, putting as much distance between her and the Arcane Vault as was possible. She could feel the voice in the back of her mind, pulling and tugging until she left the confines of the vault, which is when she felt only a void in the back of her mind, an emptiness that could not be filled. Almost as if the voice truly belonged there.

"Weiss?"

She turned, half shocked at the voice, only to sigh in relief to see Narygos there, a confused look on his face.

"What's the matter? You look frightened?" Narygos asked, the concern in his voice clear as day. "Did someone-"

"I'm fine, Narygos." Weiss lied, raising a hand as a sign of reassurance. "I just got rattled by something, that's all."

"Rattled by what?" Narygos again asked, though when Weiss did not answer he pushed no further. "Well as long as you say you're fine, I believe you."

"Did you want to see me?" Weiss asked, thankful that Narygos did not seem to pursue the subject any further.

"Kalecgos is about to do a speech to the rest of the Flight." Narygos said, craning his head to the west. "I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go with me?"

"Are...are you asking me out on a date?" Weiss chuckled mirthfully, suppressing her laughter when she saw the confused look on Narygos' face.

"A date?" Narygos repeated, saying the words slowly as if he were speaking a foreign language. "What is 'a date'?"

"Something we 'mere mortals' do when we want to spend time with someone we care for." Weiss explained, Narygos nodding his head slightly in understanding.

"Well then, in that case yes, it is 'a date'." Narygos stated confidently, causing Weiss to chuckle slightly.

"Well then, I accept." Weiss replied, causing Narygos to nod his head slightly before leading the way.

Yet all Weiss could think of as they travelled was the box in the Vault, and the promise it had foretold. But Weiss was confident that she would never step foot in the Vault again. She promised herself that.

Were it so easy.

 **00000000**

Onyxia watched with vague interest as the Dragon Riders of the Twilight's Hammer went about their business, fiddling with straps on their armour and sharpening weapons. Many kept swords and daggers within their sheaths, to be used only if necessary. The majority of the riders used spears, whilst some used rifles filled with Dust. She even noticed a few filling a saddle bag full of flechette's, ensuring that the deadly steel darts were not piercing the bottom of the bag. Even the Twilight Grimm they rode were adorned in armour of black and gold, some of the riders already mounted and ready to depart.

But she was not here for them. She was there only for one.

She approached one of the riders, who was sharpening his sword before he deposited it back into his sheath. He turned at the sound of Onyxia approaching, who was in her Human form, and knelt before her.

"Rise." Onyxia ordered, gesturing slightly with her hand for the rider to stand, which he did seconds later. "You know what must be done?"

"Yes, my lady." the Cultist replied, nodding his head in reassurance. "I will not fail you."

"Good, for I have a gift for you." Onyxia stated, gesturing behind her to two Cultists, who held a large shafted weapon wrapped in a purple cloth between them.

The Cultists approached, holding the clothed weapon out to Onyxia, who tugged the fabric free. The weapon was a three bladed Scythe, its blades made of black Elementium, the shaft of the weapon bound in purple scales. The rider took the weapon in his hand, feeling its weight and giving it a few experimental swings. He pulled a small trigger on the grip, the three blades suddenly snapping shut into a single spear head.

"A fine gift, my lady." the Cultist replied. "I will not misuse it."

"You will leave immediately." Onyxia explained as the rider secured his weapon and prepared to mount his Twilight Grimm. "Set off now and you and your fellow riders will arrive at the Dragonshrine in time for a new Aspect to be chosen. Do not fail me."

"I will not, my lady." the rider replied as he urged his mount into a run, the Twilight Grimm rearing up and roaring as it flew into the air.

The silence was filled immediately by the cries of other Twilight Grimm, and soon the sky was filled with the riders and their Grimm, all headed for the Dragonshrine. There was a dissatisfied grunt behind her, causing her to turn in its direction. Stood there was the Ice Ascendant Arcurion, who leant cross armed against a stand, a layer of frost already covering the metal.

"Were it so easy." was all he said before he turned to leave, Onyxia huffing in disinterest.

 **00000000**

 **And done. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? PM me and I will respond in due time. Next update should be February 2nd.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	20. The Embrace

**Hello everyone! Another day, another chapter. No reviews to respond to this time, so we'll go right into it, shall we? Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 20- The Embrace**

Weiss watched with abated breath towards the night sky. It was nearly time, the final fragments of the moon were beginning to align with one another. All over Remnant people would be looking to the night sky, to marvel at the cosmic phenomenon. The Blue Dragonflight more so than anyone else. Now would be the time to see if all those months of research had been for naught or not. If Arcanagos and Azuregos were correct, the Full Moon would be pivotal in the choosing of the next Aspect of Magic.

On one side was Kalecgos, who was the first Dragon Weiss had formally met. She knew that she would have had little say on the matter, but were it up to her, Kalecgos would have been her choice. He was kind, wise and strong, everything a good leader had to be.

On the complete opposite hand was Arygos, the son of the late Aspect. Perhaps under different circumstances, he could have been a good leader. But his way of thinking was rooted deep in the old ways, a stance that would see him constantly at odds with his followers.

Weiss watched as the last of the Blues arrived, and all were still and silent. It was almost strange to behold, she thought. When she saw the Blue's, they were often lively and quick of wit. To see them all so still and silent was almost an alien sight. The majority of the Dragons had chosen places in accordance to how they felt. Narygos and her were both next to Kalecgos, along with a number of other Blue Dragons. Those that supported Arygos, usually the older ones she realised, stood with him, with the undecided separating the two groups.

The last of the Blues filtered in, gathered around the Focusing Iris, and they stood still. There would be no going back now. No more words could be said to sway the other side. It would now be down to every individual who they elected. One way or another, there would be another Aspect.

The last of the fragments moved-and then there it was: after so long waiting and watching, it had happened. The moon was full. And at that moment, Weiss felt a sudden surge of pure joy and tranquillity. And just as quickly as she had felt it, Arygos shattered it.

"Let me lead my people!" the Blue Scion roared, his head raised to the sky. "Give to me the blessing of Aspect! I am my Father's son, it should be mine!"

Arygos' bold move was quick to attract attention, causing many of the Dragons gathered to regard him instead of the Full Moon.

"Yes! I stand for what we truly are: the true masters of magic. The ones who should be directing the forces of the arcane!" Arygos shouted, seemingly spurred on by the sight of the Dragons watching him. "I believe in the control of our own destinies! Of using magic as the tool that it is for our ends, our benefits! That is what magic is made for!"

And then slowly, the Dragons turned there heads away from Arygos, looking once again to the moon in the skies. Arygos continued to rant, though Weiss did not pay attention to what he was saying. No one did. Every single individual who was present was looking to the sky. And then slowly, each and every one of the giants was bathed in a tranquil white light. Even Weiss felt herself bathed in the light, before it left her, leaving her still and breathless. The light slowly began to leave the Dragons, leaving them in the same state it had left Weiss.

All except Kalecgos.

The light did not dim from Kalecgos. On the contrary, it seemed to glow brighter. With every passing second, and the light faded from all the Dragons, the light from Kalecgos grew brighter. Even when the Full Moon was no more, the faintest of cracks appearing in the celestial body, Kalecgos still shone.

Slowly, Kalecgos flew into the air, the light glowing as bright as a star. And then, in what Weiss could only describe as an explosion, it was gone. But it was not truly gone. Kalecgos still hovered in the air, but he was much larger than he had been, more grand in appearance. His scales still shimmered with the celestial light, and Weiss realised that it must have been inside him.

For that was how the Dragons had chosen. They had chosen not with their mind, but with their hearts. In their hearts they knew that Kalecgos was the true Aspect of Magic, the true master of the arcane. He was a beacon of hope for the Dragons, a light shining the way forward.

"No! You fools!"

The voice tore through the silent night sky, causing all to turn and face its owner. Arygos stood, snarling with his lips curled in disgust. Even if she did not like him, Weiss always could at least admire the Scions physical appearance as one of grandeur and respect. But seeing him here now, she immediately saw him as the vile thing he truly was.

"You are all fools! Neltharion take you all!" Arygos yelled, quickly leaping into the air straight for Kalecgos.

Before any other Dragon could respond, he let out a shrill screech, causing the Dragons and Weiss to wince in pain, the latter covering her ears in an attempt to drown out the noise. Kalecgos was not affected though, quickly descending into a nose dive towards Arygos, the light within him shining bright, making him look almost look like an avenging God seeking to protect his people.

Before Weiss could see the two Dragons clash, she heard another commotion, all around them. Blue Dragons were screeching and roaring in sheer panic as they flew into the air, and then she saw them. In the sky, swarming above them like a murder of crows, were more Dragons, yet even she could feel they were not natural. There skin was like shadow, and white chitins covered their hide. She had never seen one, but she knew exactly what she was looking at.

Twilight Grimm.

Weiss turned as something crashed through the tree-line behind her, a Twilight Grimm with a rider atop it standing before her. The Twilight Grimm let out a hideous roar as the rider readied a rifle in his hands and fired. Instinctively, she immediately drew _Myrtenaster_ and blocked the shot, quickly entering a duelling stance.

The Twilight Grimm lunged forward, but before Weiss could react, she felt herself get lifted off the ground and into the sky. She let out a surprised yelp, half expecting herself to be in the clutches of another Twilight Grimm that intended to drop her to her death. Yet when she looked up, she was pleasantly surprised to see none other than Narygos above her, the Blue Drake circling the air.

"Aim for the base of the skull!" Narygos yelled, looking down at Weiss as he spoke.

Weiss immediately understood what the Blue Drake intended to do, nodding her head in confirmation. Narygos released her grip, and for the briefest of seconds Weiss was free-falling, the wind roaring in her ears as she descended into a dive. A Twilight Grimm and its rider were below her now, readying _Myrtenaster_ as she created a series of Gravity Glyphs, slowing her descent until she was right on top of them.

The rider looked up too late, receiving a kick to the face from Weiss, sending him hurtling off the Grimm with a cry of panic. Weiss wobbled as she attempted to steady herself upon the Grimm like beast, which roared in fury, unaware that it was Weiss and not its original rider that stood upon its back. Creating a series of small Gravity Glyphs to anchor herself to the Twilight Grimm, she quickly strode to where Narygos had said the weakness was. She could only just see it, a small chink between the plates where the skull and neck connected. Most weapons would probably slide right past it or not get far enough to cause lethal damage.

 _Myrtenaster_ was not most weapons.

With a single thrust she stabbed forward with her blade, the Twilight Grimm letting loose a haunting death rattle as black blood spluttered out of the wound, covering Weiss somewhat. Almost immediately the Dragon hybrid began to fall, its flesh partially disintegrating as it plummeted to the earth. Acting quickly, Weiss readied a series of Glyphs, sending her flying right through a throng of Twilight Grimm. With the aid of her Glyphs, she barrelled through the stomachs of many of them, before stopping in the open maw of a Twilight Grimm, the beast choking on both its own blood and the blade currently shoved down its mouth.

Before the Grimm could even fall, Weiss had created another series of Glyphs, dancing from Dragon to Dragon, killing any Twilight Grimm she landed on. As she stopped to rest on the back of a friendly Blue, she took a second to observe the carnage. They were winning. The Blues were winning. They may have been outnumbered and caught completely unawares, but the arrival of a new Aspect had emboldened them. Yet Weiss found herself feeling something was wrong.

She watched as a Blue Dragon surrounded by Twilight Grimm began to glow as he descended into a nose dive. Immediately a shower of icicles followed him, impaling the Twilight Grimm in more than one place. Weiss knew that if they'd wanted, the Twilight Grimm could have easily avoided the spell. Something just wasn't adding up. And it was then that she realised the truth behind the attack. It wasn't an attempt to wipe out the Dragonflight. It was a distraction.

A rider suddenly caught her gaze, in his hands a crude looking scythe. Her gaze then turned to Kalecgos and Arygos, who were now on the ground, fighting over the Focusing Iris. Kalecgos bore little to no wounds, not even a scratch was on him, a stark contrast to the now bloodied and bruised Arygos. She watched the rider kick his mount in the side, the Twilight Grimm headed straight for the Aspect and his contender.

Weiss gasped as she realised what was about to happen. She created a string of Glyphs and darted forward, sword raised to strike a blow to the rider. The rider quickly turned, perhaps sensing the approaching Heiress. With a single swing he intercepted the Huntress, causing her to cry out in pain as the shaft of the weapon hit her side. She plummeted to the waters of the Eye of Eternity, landing with a tremendous splash. She sunk almost immediately like a pebble, the arcane waters filling her lungs. Caught off guard by the sheer power within the liquid, she inadvertently swallowed more, only serving to drown her faster.

She kicked her legs as she reached out for the surface, finally breaching it and gasping for air, coughing up a large quantity of water in the process. Bobbing on the surface, she swam towards the shore, coughing and spluttering all the way. She looked to Kalecgos and Arygos again, the two snarling and snapping at one another. She turned and saw the Rider she had tried to stop speeding towards the two, scythe raised over his head. She tried to shout a warning to Kalecgos, but her voice was so hoarse from coughing nothing came out.

The rider intercepted the two and sped through them. She heard the slicing of flesh, followed by a river of blood gushing behind the rider as he flew away to safety. Weiss watched, shocked and horrified at what she had seen. Even Kalecgos and Arygos looked horrified, both watching as the blood flowed onto the Focusing Iris, the blue orb glowing brightly as the blood caked the device.

And then, slowly, Arygos fell to the earth, his eyes going dim as life left him.

There was a tremendous silence as the Blue Dragons watched the scion draw his final breath, the only noise Weiss could hear was her own ragged breathing. Slowly, the Twilight Grimm began to disperse. They had come here not to exterminate the Flight, but to slay Arygos, and that deed had been achieved. As the last of the Twilight Grimm fled, the Blue Dragons began to descend, lowering their heads solemnly. Even Kalecgos seemed disheartened at the loss of the one who had tried to kill him and take his place.

Earlier, Weiss had felt nothing but joy and elation. Now, she felt only sorrow and despair.

 **00000000**

The Rider flew forward, away from the Dragonshrine and onto a small peak in the mountains. He wheeled his mount around, watching the grove before him from a safe distance. More Twilight Grimm were following him now, the rider watching as the beasts flew overhead. Quickly, he procured a small orb from his robes, tightening his grip on the item as it glowed gently, establishing a connection.

"My lady, I am pleased to report that Arygos is dead." the rider relayed.

" _This news please me greatly, captain."_ the voice of Onyxia replied, a slow elated growl present in her voice. _"And the Iris?"_

"His blood touched the Focusing Iris almost immediately." the rider said. "It should be powering up the surge needle as we speak."

" _Excellent work."_ Onyxia purred, her voice quiet. _"Return immediately. Soon, the Blue Dragonflight shall fall, as will the rest of Atlas."_

 **00000000**

 **And done. Once again, sorry it was short. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either PM me or leave in your reviews. Next update should be February 16th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	21. Ultimatum

**Hello everyone. A lot has happened within these past two weeks. We got the RWBY Volume 6 finale (which I'm still on the fence on whether I liked it or not), the first trailer for the Tolkien film came out(which I'm definitely going to watch at some point) and my faith in the WoW team telling a good story has been destroyed. Also I was sick, but I'm better now thank goodness. No reviews to respond to, so let's get dug in shall we? Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 21- Ultimatum**

It had been a few hours since the attack on the Blue Dragonshrine, and shock still engulfed the Blue Dragons. Not only had the Twilight's Hammer been so bold as to attack the Blue Dragons where they were strongest, but they had also managed to kill Arygos, the last Scion of Malygos. The shock had also been magnified when it was revealed that the Scion had also been in league with the Twilight's Hammer, the same order who was in service to the mad Dragon Deathwing, who had millennia ago nearly obliterated the Flight.

Kalecgos could only sigh as he watched the Blue Dragons carry away the last of the corpses out into the frozen wilderness. The Dragonshrine's were sacred ground, meaning the dead could not stay. There was a reason that the surrounding plains near the shrine were called 'Dragonblight' in their ancient tongue. So much unnecessary blood had been spilled that night, all of it avoidable. Arygos was not the only Blue Dragon to have died that night, for many noble Blues had fallen as well, alongside the abhorrent Twilight Grimm. They may have killed more of them, but they could afford such losses. The Blues couldn't.

"Lord Kalecgos." a voice called out to him.

Slowly, Kalecgos swivelled his head, where he was met by the sight of the wizened Senegos. The elderly Dragon was covered in a myriad of cuts and bruises, many of which were already starting to heal.

"Senegos, I am pleased to see you did not fall in battle." Kalecgos responded, though his voice were quiet, almost distraught even.

"It will take more than a few abominations to keep this old Dragon down." Senegos chuckled with a hearty tone, though he went quiet when he saw the sadness in Kalecgos' eyes. "You are troubled, yes?"

"How can I not be?" Kalecgos asked, gesturing to the bloodied ground before them, the soil drinking the lifeblood of Dragons completely. "I am supposed to lead our Flight to a new future, one where we can prosper as we used to, yet already many of our kin lie dead."

"What happened yesterday was not your fault. It was the fault of Arygos." Senegos rebuked, hissing the name of the deceased Dragon, anger clear in his voice. "At least he paid for his transgressions..."

"And yet he shouldn't have." Kalecgos replied. "Traitor or not, he didn't need to die. If I were of the Bronze Flight, I would have turned back the clock and prevented all of this from happening."

"And who knows what would have happened instead?" Senegos questioned, to which he received no immediate response. "You may have prevented one bloodshed, only to cause one of greater magnitude."

"Spoken like a Bronze." Kalecgos smirked, though it was lacking in humour. "I suppose we will never know."

Senegos nodded his head in understanding, turning back to face the ransacked Dragonshrine. The Vault had thankfully not been targeted, nor had the nursery where the Whelplings lived. It seemed as though the target had mainly been Arygos, why though eluded them. The waters of the Eye of Eternity were still tinged his his blood, the Focusing Iris in the centre glowing brightly with reawakened magic.

"There are many amongst the survivors who feel as though we should retaliate against the Twilight's." Senegos finally said, his tone quiet to avoid eavesdropping. "Their scent is still strong in the air. We could easily track them down."

"Is that what you want to do?" Kalecgos asked, turning to face Senegos with a raised brow. "I agree that the Twilight's are vile beasts that deserve to be destroyed, for their own tortured sake rather than those of others. But if we are to attack them, we cannot do so with hatred in our hearts, otherwise we will become as vile as the Blacks they serve."

Senegos nodded his head, clearly understanding what the new Aspect was implying. And in truth, he agreed with him as well. The Twilight Grimm would see justice one day, but when that day comes, the Blues had to be both clear in mind and in heart lest they become consumed by their own vengeance. As the two Dragons drank in the tranquillity around them, the sudden hurried beating of wings caught their attention. Both turned to see Erygos the Ley Guardian rapidly speeding towards the two, shock very clear in his golden eyes.

"My Lord Aspect, there is something you need to know." the Ley Guardian rapidly declared, his breathing rapid and unsteady, almost as if he'd been flying none stop for days. "It concerns the Whelpling that Narygos and his Human discovered."

"What's happened? Has his conditioned worsened?" Kalecgos asked, fearing for the young Dragon in question.

"No, Lord Aspect." Erygos reassured, swallowing a mouthful of air loudly before continuing. "It is his bloodline. We know who he belongs to. He is of the same blood as Malygos himself."

"What?!" Senegos nearly roared, more so out of confusion rather than anger. "How is that even possible?! Malygos hasn't mated in the last decade! And Arygos never found a suitable mate to consort with before his death! The only Scion that could possibly be the child's parent is-"

"Kirygosa..." Kalecgos finished, his voice quiet. Could it be possible? Was Kirygosa still alive, after all this time?

"Are you certain? Is it possible you made a mistake?" Senegos asked, his face wrought with confusion.

"I am positive." Erygos confirmed, having finally steadied his breathing. "Would you like to see the results?"

"No, I have other matters that need seeing to." Kalecgos responded, before turning to Senegos with a determined look on his face. "Gather all the Blues that you can find, Senegos. They must hear this news."

 **00000000**

Weiss didn't quite understand what was occurring at first. All the Blues, who had just seconds ago been mourning the losses of their comrades, were all of a sudden spilling forth towards the Eye of Eternity. She was half tempted to simply ignore them, but in the end, her curiosity got the better of her, and she followed the Blues.

She found herself stood at the very bank of the Eye of Eternity, the arcane waters shimmering with power. Power that almost got her killed last night. Her mind raced back to the events of last night, of what had happened. It had started off so well, with her and Narygos killing Twilight Grimm left and right. And then when she realised just what was going on, her attempts to stop it were thwarted by nothing more than a basic parry. She should have been able to bypass the amateur defences of that Cultist.

She needed to be stronger.

Her thoughts returned to the present as the Aspect Kalecgos appeared. Physically speaking, the Dragon looked no different. He was perhaps larger than before, and also brimmed with more magic than he had done. But Weiss knew that the real difference in the Aspect was inside. She had no idea what exactly the Blue Dragon was going through right now, nor would she ever. And that was something she was glad about, to be frank.

"Sons and Daughters of magic, here me." Kalecgos began, his voice booming and demanding authority. "I have gathered you all here on dire circumstances. The vile curs of the Twilight's Hammer have dared to attack our home. They sought to kill us, and destroy all that we hold dear. And while we were victorious, the cost was dear. And so when Senegos told me that the Twilight's Hammer stronghold was nearby, I at first refused to lead us against it. If we go with hatred in our hearts, will we not become as vile as our enemies? As depraved as they are?

"That was the reason I refused, lest our hatred unmake us, and drag us back to the times before our enlightenment. But I have since learned of something new, something that the Twilight's stole from us. The Whelpling that my servant Narygos found, that Whelpling has the blood of Malygos in his veins."

There were immediately shocked murmurs from the gathered Dragons, Weiss amongst them. Another Scion? How was such a thing possible? The only direct descendent of Malygos she knew was the traitor Arygos, and he was dead for lack of a better term. But she heard another name being murmured amongst the Dragons, one she did not recognise.

Kirygosa.

"We all know who it must be, for there can be no other. Kirygosa, who we believed to be dead for so long, is alive. She is being held by the Twilight's Hammer, perhaps at the same stronghold from where our attackers came. And so I ask you to join me, to join me in an assault on their profane stronghold, and to wipe them from the face of Atlas. They will answer for their crimes against us, and we shall deliver it to them with justice in our hearts. Who will join me?"

Weiss had expected the Blues to slowly respond to Kalecgos' summons, like how it tended to be in those comics that Ruby usually read. So she was quite pleasantly surprised when as soon as Kalecgos had finished, every single Dragon present roared in unison, some even letting our jets of arcane energy or ice from their maws. Weiss couldn't help but smile at the display. She would join the Blues in their assault, and she would deliver justice unto them.

And this time, she wouldn't fail.

 **00000000**

 **So that's it. Sorry that these last few chapters have been so small, but I promise the next ones will be longer as we're not only getting to the climax, but also to the good stuff. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either leave in your review or PM me personally. Next update should be March 2nd.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	22. Retribution

**Hello everyone! Another day, another chapter. So, there are no reviews to respond to (understandably) so let's get right into it shall we? Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 22- Retribution**

Onyxia watched with hidden glee as the Cultists continued to channel Void energy into the surge needle, further corrupting the ancient arcane device. It was nearly complete. Soon, it would have enough power to awaken and corrupt that which slept below, and Atlas would crumble before them. She could imagine the shock and horror not only on the filthy mortals faces, but also on the faces of the Blues when they saw the face of their destroyer. She delighted in the chaos it would bring and the irony of the act.

She would be leaving the roof of the world soon enough, to return to her Father, victorious. She might stay, just to watch the City fall, but that would be all. The captive Scion Kirygosa, who was still bound within her prison, would most likely stay here at Doom's Vigil. As she watched yet another bolt of Void energy impact the surge needle, she felt something. A presence that was both alien to her yet recognisable at the same time.

She turned her head, looking hard into the blinding blizzard that surrounded Doom's Vigil. There was something out there, watching them. She could feel it. She looked down to the base proper, at the parapets at the edge of the outpost, the guards looking drearily into the storm before them, some of them not even paying full attention.

That was when there was a loud explosion on the parapets, the screams of the guards caught in the blast echoing across the wind, only to be cut short. There was shock and panic immediately as the other guards looked to the source, only to find a cluster of ice, the guards either impaled on its sharp ends or entombed entirely. Then there was another blast, this time on the far side. This time however, the only trace of the explosion was scorched metal, with faint traces of the arcane lingering in the air.

Then she made out a shape approaching the rampart at near blinding speed, followed by a stream of blue energy that blasted away the remaining guards off of the wall, sending them falling to their deaths. The cultists in the base proper were beginning to panic, some rushing to mounted siege weapons whilst others simply ran away in fright. A war-horn then began to blare from one of the many towers, only to be cut short as an orb of ice impacted the top of the tower, sharp icicles jutting out of the view ports.

Then shapes began to emerge from the cloud, one dwarfing all the others. She knew exactly what they meant, and she was barely able to contain her anger at the sight. The Blue Dragonflight, led by none other than their new Aspect.

"How is this possible?!" she hissed to herself. The Blue's should have been broken by the attack on their Sanctum, by the death of Arygos and Malygos. She had expected them to be divided by their views on what to do in response, not unified in their retribution.

And then it hit her. Of course, Kirygosa's child. By some miracle, the Whelp must have been found by the Blue's, and it most definitely would not have taken them long to figure out where the child had not only come from, but who its mother was. She knew she should have killed that child earlier, she should never have allowed Kirygosa to keep the beast.

"Lady Onyxia!" a panicked voice called out to her. "What are going to do?!"

She immediately recognised the voice of that as Commander Gore, turning with an irritable gaze as the Warthog Faunus stumbled forward, followed by the ice Ascendant Arcurion, who seemed to be in a much calmer state of mind.

"Lady Onyxia?" Gore asked yet again, looking at the Black Dragoness for a solution.

"Man the defences." Onyxia replied, Gore's jaw dropping in shock at the order. "Hold them off until our work here is complete."

"Are you mad?!" Gore responded, his voice quivering with rage. "Doom's Vigil is lost! Our mission is a failure! We don't have the power to stand up to an Aspect! We need to retreat before-"

Gore was cut off as he began to gurgle involuntarily, blood spluttering from his mouth as he groped at his stomach, the tip of an icy blade protruding from it, the flesh around the wound freezing. It was then that Arcurion kicked the Commander in the back, pulling his blade free as the Commander was sent tumbling forward, dead before he hit the ground.

"I will rally our defences, my Lady." Arcurion said, bowing deeply in respect.

"Good." Onyxia replied, watching as the ice Ascendant turned to leave, already signalling for some of the Cultists on the precipice to follow him.

As the Ascendant left, Onyxia began to shift into her Draconic form, her increasing size causing the dead Gore's body to fall off the edge with a large quantity of snow. As she completed her transformation, she looked towards the stronghold below, already the outpost in a complete disarray. She then let loose a bellowing roar, causing those who were the faint of heart to flee in terror. In response, hordes of Black Dragons and Twilight Grimm suddenly began to fly out from their roosts, clashing with the Blue Dragons.

Gore was correct about one thing, Doom's Vigil was lost to them. Even with her own kin and the Twilight Grimm occupying the Blue's, it didn't alter the fact that an Aspect was present. But she would not allow such a fact halt their progress, not when they were so close to victory.

 **00000000**

When the fighting had started, things had been going well for the Blue Dragons. They had the element of surprise, and had decimated their first line of defence. Now they had swooped in for the kill, easily tearing through the remaining defences. Then the Twilight Grimm and their Black Dragon masters arrived, evening the playing field. Kalecgos shot out another blast of arcane energy from his maw as a Twilight Grimm flew directly towards him, immediately incinerating the creature, leaving no trace of its existence whatsoever.

He felt the presence of a Black Dragon attempting to sneak up behind him. With a flick of his tail, he struck the Dragon in the chin, snapping its neck with a single blow. A horde of Twilight Grimm flew towards him, like a swarm of locust they charged as one. A rune hovered in front of him and with a single thought, arcane missiles launched themselves at the gathered fiends. Some of them turned incorporeal, breaking off as the missiles passed harmlessly through them. Most of them weren't so lucky, the magical projectiles impacting their bodies, tearing through flesh as if it were paper.

Having a relieve from the combat, he looked to the other members of his Flight, watching as they dealt with the Twilight Grimm and Black Dragons in their own way. He saw Narygos, with Weiss perched on his back, tail a Twilight Grimm, the human creating Glyphs to blast away any that attempted to flank the Blue Drake. Senegos was also embroiled in combat, the elderly Dragon creating large runes around him that flung arcane orbs at any foe that came too close.

He turned as he saw a Black Dragon charge him, its maw glowing red with fire as it attempted to blast him. Kalecgos met the oncoming blast with a stream of spellfire, the blue and red flames clashing against one another, only for the blue to overpower the red, temporarily blinding the Dragon as it shook its head. Kalecgos used this as an opportunity, swooping in and biting down on the Dragons throat, tearing it out with little effort.

The Black Dragon fell to the snow, crushing a number of Cultists who had been unfortunate enough to be below the Dragon as it fell. Spitting out the flesh of the Dragon alongside a quantity of blood, he looked around the base, searching for any sign of where Kirygosa could be kept. So far nothing seemed out of place in the base, Kalecgos worried that perhaps she was not kept here at all, but somewhere else. Or worse yet, that she'd been imprisoned in her human form, making her a potential casualty in the assault.

And that was when he saw a building on the outskirts of the base. The building did not seem out of place, save for its much larger size in comparison to the other buildings. It almost looked large enough to fit a Dragon inside.

Feeling a surge of hope, he flew towards the building, a pair of Blues flanking him either side to ward off potential attackers. As they approached the building, a swarm of Twilight Grimm suddenly encircled them, shooting bolts of Void energy at the trio. Without so much as an effort, Kalecgos let loose a surge of arcane energy in all directions, the Twilight Grimm falling like flies as the wave passed through them.

Without further distractions, the three Dragons let loose a stream of spellfire at the large double doors, blasting them open immediately. Inside were a throng of Cultists, all of them backing away from the entrance in shock. Behind them were two forms, both of them Dragons. One he immediately recognised, even in spite of its bound and beaten form.

"Kirygosa!" Kalecgos roared as he landed on all fours. It was then that he saw the second form, that of a Twilight Grimm.

Instinctively, the Twilight Grimm snarled and lunged forward, charging Kalecgos with all the fury it could muster. Without so much as a single thought, Kalecgos spat out a bolt of frost magic, which impacted the Grimm and sent it tumbling towards the ground. The Twilight Grimm rose up, groggily shaking its head, seemingly unaware of the blue glow in its chest. A frost bomb.

As the Twilight Grimm lunged forward again, the frost bomb detonated, freezing the Grimm solid as well as all the Cultists closest. Those who had not been close had instead been impaled by the shards of ice, or had simply been killed by the force of the explosion.

With the threat neutralised, Kalecgos walked forward unabated, approaching the captive Dragoness. He dispelled the binding spells surrounding her, and pried away at the chains that bound her. As the last of the chains broke, Kirygosa slowly began to rise, letting loose a roar of relief as she stood on quivering legs.

"Kalecgos...thank the Gods you came..." Kirygosa said, her voice filled with relief. "My son...is he…?"

"Your child is safe." Kalecgos reassured, the Blue Dragoness letting loose a breath she didn't know she was holding. "We thought you were dead, Kirygosa. What happened?"

"It was Onyxia, she attacked us with her depraved allies." Kirygosa informed him, recoiling at the thought of the memory and the memories that followed. "They...did things to me."

"It's over now, Kirygosa." Kalecgos said, his voice one of comfort. "They won't hurt you any more."

"Onyxia, she found a surge needle Kalecgos." Kirygosa then said rapidly, Kalecgos' eyes going wide in shock. "She's been trying to activate it, and I think she's nearly succeeded in doing so."

"Where is she now?" Kalecgos asked, a sense of dread overcoming him at the revelation.

"At the surge needle, I expect." Kirygosa replied. "You have to stop her. You know what they can do."

"I am more than aware, Kirygosa." Kalecgos said, turning to deliver orders to the two Dragons who had followed him. "You two, protect Kirygosa! Ensure no harm comes to her."

"As you wish, Lord Aspect." the two Dragons responded, Kirygosa turning to face Kalecgos in shock.

"It's...a long story." Kalecgos sheepishly replied, turning again to leave. "I'll tell you more once this is over."

"Wait! Before you leave, there is something else." Kirygosa quickly said, Kalecgos stopping in his tracks to regard the Dragoness. "The Cultists found something else at the surge needle, something old and powerful."

"What is it?"

"I don't know, but I know that they intend to use it as a weapon against Atlas." Kirygosa replied, shaking her head slowly. "What's more, they seem to think that doing so would be an insult to us."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, Kirygosa." Kalecgos responded, turning tail and leaving the building, taking to the air quickly.

What the Cultists had found he didn't know, nor was he sure he wanted to know. To find and corrupt a surge needle was one thing, but this mystery item was what troubled him most. Were the two connected perhaps? With a roar he rallied the Blue Dragons towards him, many flocking immediately at his cry. Some were still embroiled in combat, but thankfully the Twilight Grimm and the Black Dragon numbers were beginning to dwindle. Before they had outnumbered the Blues. Now it was the other way around.

As he flew upwards, he caught sight of the surge needle, floating in the sky. Already he could see the corruption flowing through the arcane relic, the sight of it disgusting him to his core. And in front of it was the Black Dragoness herself, her massive wings keeping her aloft.

"Onyxia!" Kalecgos bellowed, his voice filled with rage. "It's over. Surrender now, and we shall grant you a swift death!"

In response, the Black Dragoness simply began to cackle, her laughter echoing in the wind.

"Lost? No, I have merely suffered a setback." Onyxia responded with her own booming voice. "The Cultists may be routed, but I will not fall today."

"You are outnumbered, Onyxia." Kalecgos reasoned, the Black Dragoness sneering in response. "As powerful as you are, even you don't have the might to challenge an Aspect and survive."

"Oh, I am quite aware of that." Onyxia concurred, Kalecgos' eyes narrowing slightly. "I know that to challenge you would be a death sentence, but I don't intend to fight you."

It was then that there was an ear piercing screech as the surge needle suddenly powered up, sending a beam of arcane and void energy down into the ice below, which began to thrum with power. Kalecgos and the other Dragons looked on in horror at what was beginning to happen. Kalecgos wasn't sure, but he swore he saw a silhouette trapped in the ice.

"What have you done?" Kalecgos asked, his voice quivering with unbridled rage.

"Me? I've merely been stalling you." Onyxia sneered, her lips curling up into a smile. "And now I offer you a choice. You can chase me down and kill me, and lose Atlas in the process. Or you can save the Humans from their annihilation and allow me to escape. Choose wisely."

With another cackle, the Dragoness turned and flew away, followed by a small number of Twilight Grimm and Black Dragons. The surge needle soon stopped feeding energy into the ice, but still it quivered and shook. And that was when a pair of horns erupted from the ice. Followed by a bony elbow, which was still covered in strips of decayed flesh. Then from the base of the horns, the ice began to crack and break as a spine began to rise up. An arm then erupted, the end of which was a hand with hooked talons, which buried themselves deep into the ice.

And then the being as a whole began to rise, and Kalecgos could only look on in horror as the creatures eye socket and rib thrummed with Void energy. It then began to stalk forward, using its wings as a third set of limbs as it approached the precipice of the cliff, boulder sized chunks of ice falling as it gripped onto the edge, leaning over it and observing the ground below. As its body continued to thrum with Void energy, it spread its wings out, its membranes like fleshy curtains, and it launched itself off the cliff.

The Blue Dragons, even Kalecgos, parted immediately, the creature flying past them, headed straight towards Atlas. It was a Dragon, or at least had been before its death. But only an Aspect could grow to such a size as this one had. But Kalecgos knew of one who had grown that large. One who had died millennia ago at the hands of Deathwing. And the words of Kirygosa came back to him. A destroyer that was an insult to all Blue Dragons, both young and old.

And as the realisation struck him, the former Prime Consort of Malygos let loose a terrible roar.

 **00000000**

Weiss had seen the entire thing happening from the ground. A massive skeletal Dragon that was nearly the size of Kalecgos flying straight towards Atlas, the Blue Dragons quickly following in pursuit. She had been knocked off of Narygos during the battle, and now she couldn't find him. She prayed that he hadn't been killed by their ambusher, and for the time had been forced to fight on the ground. Not that such a thing worried her. After all, she was more than capable of dealing with the Cultists.

The arrival of an undead Dragon had shook her to be sure, but it wasn't enough to distract her for too long. It was then that a number of Cultists suddenly charged her, yelling incoherent battle cries. With a smile she created a Glyph in front of her, a number of fireballs suddenly erupting from the Glyph and impacting the Cultists, sending them tumbling to the ground in a heap.

As she turned, she heard a sharp whistle, and by pure instinct she swung her blade out, _Myrtenaster_ clanging loudly as an icicle the size of her arm bounced off her blade and clattered to the ground. Turning, she froze as she spotted the shape of a man, though he appeared to be made of ice, a pair of deadly looking blades in his hands. The ice man let out a hiss as he flung the two blades like throwing knives at Weiss. Without so much as an effort, Weiss created a pair of fire Glyphs in front of her, the blades passing through them, causing them to detonate, destroying the blades in the process.

"You've improved since last we met..." the ice being commended, a two handed sword materialising in his hands as he pointed the tip at Weiss. "I guess going to Beacon was beneficial after all."

"Who are you?" Weiss demanded, holding her blade out in a fighting stance. She didn't know who this thing was, but it sure seemed to know her. The ice being let out a dry chuckle as he lowered his blade, putting his left foot forward as he did so.

And then, without so much as a word, he charged.

 **00000000**

 **And done! Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism is welcomed. Any questions? Either leave in your review or PM me. Next update is March 16th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	23. Respite for Tormented Souls

**Hello everyone. Another day, another chapter. No responses to do, so let's get started. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 23- Respite for Tormented Souls**

"No...it can't be..." Kalecgos murmured as he watched the skeletal silhouette fly away, each beat of its debilitated wings scattering the snow below. He turned to face Senegos, who's eyes were wide in horror at the sight before him. "Senegos, please tell me that is not who I think it is."

"I'm afraid it is..." Senegos answered, his voice grim. "It pains me to confirm that the monstrosity before us is none other than Sindragosa."

Sindragosa. That name was legendary to the Blue Dragonflight. She had been the first consort of Malygos, who had loved her dearly. Yet when Deathwing brought ruin to the Dragonflight's, Sindragosa had been amongst those that fell. They had never found the body of the Blue Dragoness, not until today that is.

"Senegos, rally the rest of our kin and route the remaining Cultist forces." Kalecgos ordered, spinning around to face the Dragon. "I will deal with Sindragosa on my own."

"Kalecgos, it is too dangerous." Senegos warned, his face wrought with worry. "We don't know how powerful she is. If she kills you-"

"What choice do we have, Senegos?!" Kalecgos demanded, the Blue Dragon unable to answer the question. "I will not risk any unnecessary loss of life. Sindragosa will be too powerful for any of you, of that I am certain. Only I have the strength to stop her."

Senegos looked on at Kalecgos, his gaze flitting between that of the Aspect and Sindragosa, who was getting smaller the further she was going. Then, with a weary sigh, he turned fully to Kalecgos, nodding his head grimly.

"Gods guide you, Kalecgos." was all the Blue Dragon said as he turned away, followed by the remaining Dragons, who scattered in different directions.

Taking a deep breath, Kalecgos turned and flew in the direction that Sindragosa had gone. He pushed himself hard, his wings beating much faster than they ever had before. With each stroke, Sindragosa became clearer, and closer as well. The skeletal being didn't notice Kalecgos at first, but eventually she caught his scent, turning her head to face him, hissing in disdain. At first she tried to increase the gap between them, though Kalecgos had too much of a lead, he would be upon her any second now.

And then suddenly she turned, arms and wings stretched out beside her. Before Kalecgos could stop himself, he collided with her, Sindragosa sinking all her claws into her. Kalecgos roared in pain as her talons pierced his flesh, both Dragons falling to the ground as they both lost momentum. Sindragosa hissed as she buried her teeth into Kalecgos' neck, the Aspect roaring in pain before he slammed the side of his head into her skull, causing her to release her grip.

And then both plummeted to the ground, the snow around them being flung into the air. Kalecgos had collapsed where he landed, groaning groggily as he rose up, blood trickling where Sindragosa had punctured his hide. Sindragosa had been sent further away, no doubt due to her lighter frame. The skeletal monstrosity was on her back, the Dragoness writhing about in an attempt to right herself. When she did so, she rose quickly, half of her jaw having become unhinged in the landing. With a simple flex of her jaw, she re-socketed the joint, hissing audibly as she prowled forward.

Kalecgos narrowed his eyes as he too hissed, stalking forward himself. The two continued to stalk, two apex predators, ready to kill. And then Sindragosa surged forward, roaring in fury as she charged. As she neared, Kalecgos spun around, swinging his tail out like a club. It struck her full on, sending her sprawling to the ground in a heap. Before she could recover fully, Kalecgos leapt onto her back, pinning her down as he buried his teeth into her neck.

Sindragosa roared, more so in fury than in pain, and stood up fully, Kalecgos losing his grip on her neck. She leapt forward and snapped her jaws, Kalecgos barely stepping back in time. He then swiped at her, his claws scraping harmlessly off of her bony frame. It was then she surged forward again, this time striking him with her temple. Kalecgos staggered back as he swung out with his tail again, Sindragosa swerving out of the way this time.

She leapt forward again with both claws, her talons raking his side and causing him to roar in pain as they cut deep. He instinctively pulled away flapping his wings as he rose into the air. He realised now that this would not solely be a battle of pure brute strength, on that front he was useless. His claws and teeth were meant for rending flesh, not bone. This had to be more than a battle of strength, but a battle of wits as well. And he had a plan forming.

As Sindragosa watched him from the ground, Kalecgos spat out a blast of frost. The ice magic struck her horn, covering it in a thick layer of ice. She seemed to feel the blow, as she suddenly let out a roar of fury, a roar that Kalecgos immediately recognised as one of pain. He spat out another blast, striking her horn yet again. He continued to continuously spit out ice at Sindragosa, covering her horn in frost, the final blast snapping it off completely. Sindragosa released an ear splitting roar at pain as the appendage fell to the snow, the Dragoness shaking her head from side to side rapidly.

With a glare, she spread her wings wide, before beating them, rising up to meet Kalecgos. He too began to fly higher, keeping a noticeable gap between himself and the Dragoness. He flew high, higher than he'd ever flown before. Behind him, Sindragosa roared as she tried to keep up with the Aspect. Then, as he pierced the clouds, he stopped, shrouded by the thick mist. Sindragosa also paused in the clouds, losing sight of Kalecgos. The Dragoness hissed as she tried to locate the Aspect, who moved without a sound. He might not have been able to see her fully, but he could see the Void energy that powered her, even through the thick clouds.

He then zoomed forward, blasting her in the back with frost energy. Sindragosa roared as she spun around, only to see nothing. Kalecgos struck her again, Sindragosa roaring in fury as she pun around. He continued to barrage her with frost magic, the Dragoness unable to trace the Aspect. Kalecgos race around her, and was pleased to see his plan was working. He had been targeting her wings, specifically the joints. Even now the Dragoness was finding it hard to stay aloft, her wings slowly freezing over.

Sindragosa let out a mighty roar as she clearly became tired of this game, Void energy collecting within her maw. The orb of energy then detonated, immediately parting the clouds around her, granting her field of vision once again. She could see Kalecgos fully now, who held in his maw his own orb of frost magic. Sindragosa hissed as she flew forward as fast as she could, though she was now considerably slower thanks to Kalecgos' assault.

She let out a cry as she grew nearer, and that was when Kalecgos unleashed his final attack. The wave of frost magic encompassed Sindragosa entirely, the Dragoness flinching as the wave of energy covered her in a thin layer of frost, which quickly disappeared from her body. Except for her wings, they remained frozen in place.

Panic engulfed the Dragoness as she attempted to stay aloft, though her wings refused to beat. She tried to flap them faster, even as gravity began to take effect. As she continued in her attempts, one of her wings suddenly snapped under the strain, causing her to screech in pain as she plummeted even faster to the ground.

Kalecgos watched as the Dragoness fell, until she was no longer visible. Then there was the sound of something heavy impacting the ground, and Kalecgos knew she had landed. He descended into a nose dive, clearing the distance between himself and the ground. As he approached, he slowed his descent, landed softly in the snow. Ahead of him, he could see the broken body of Sindragosa, many of her ancient bones having been shattered in the landing. The Dragoness moaned in pain as she tried to stand, and Kalecgos found himself pitying her.

She turned towards the sky, the air clear of clouds as she let out a mournful wail. Kalecgos turned, his vision blinded slightly by the sun. And that was when he saw the moon slowly approaching, once again looking as full as it did on the night of the embrace. Moon slowly began to eclipse the sun, sending the world into a sudden twilight. As Sindragosa watched the phenomenon before her, the Void energy began to leech out of her body, her ghostly eyes turning blue.

Strands of light then began to seep out from the moon, like strands of silk breezing gently in a summer's breeze. They bathed the broken body of the consort in lunar shower, Sindragosa's eyes fading away as she let out one final breath. And as the strands of light left her skeletal form, suspended within them was the ghostly image of a Dragon, one that Kalecgos knew must have been Sindragosa in life. He watched as the spirit, with its neck craned and its wings aloft, was raised higher and higher into the night sky, before dissipating, the general outline indicated by new stars lighting up. A constellation. And as the moon shifted, and night turned back into day, the skeletal remains of Sindragosa turned to dust, scattered and lost to the wind.

"Rest now, Sindragosa." Kalecgos whispered as he looked to the sky, where the constellation had been just moments ago. "You are home..."

 **00000000**

Weiss swerved out of the way, activating a Glyph beneath her to create some distance as the Ice Ascendant swung his sword down, cleaving through the space she had been occupying seconds ago. Flourishing her blade, she sprang forward, _Myrtenaster_ becoming engulfed in flame. Arcurion brought his blade up, parrying the strike and sending Weiss staggering back. Arcurion unleashed a flurry of strikes against Weiss, the Heiress either dodging or parrying the blows, the final and most powerful one sending her tumbling back, Weiss steadying herself.

"You have indeed improved...good." Arcurion chuckled, rolling his shoulders back. "But your skill will not be enough to save you."

"Who are you?!" Weiss demanded again, gripping her blade with both hands as she took a step back. The Ice Ascendant chuckled as he straightened up, his skull like face twisted into a menacing leer.

"Your past come back to haunt you." Arcurion declared, before quickly charging forward.

Weiss was quickly back on the defensive parrying and dodging as many blows as she could. Sometimes she wasn't fast enough, her Aura flickering slightly as it was struck by the frozen blade on multiple occasions. As their blades locked onto one another, Weiss created a fire glyph beneath her opponent. Almost immediately Arcurion noticed, and stepped back. The glyph detonated almost immediately, sending Weiss flying back with a thud and a grunt. Slowly she began to stand, a pillar of fire where the glyph had been.

And then suddenly, the fire parted as Arcurion stepped through the flames, not a single scratch on him. The Ice Ascendant chuckled as he split the sword in his hand into two smaller blades, gripping their icy hilts tightly.

"Were it so easy..."

Weiss froze at the words. It was impossible. There was no way it could be him. Her guard wavered as _Myrtenaster_ nearly fell free from her grip, her eyes wide in horror as the realisation hit her.

"Glacies?..." Weiss whispered, her eyes nearly brimming with tears as she stared at the man she had once loved. Arcurion hissed with hatred as he brought his weapons to bear, his own eyes burning with hate.

"Glacies is dead. You killed him!" Arcurion snarled as he charged forward with tremendous speed.

Weiss barely had the time to bring _Myrtenaster_ up to defend herself, the icy swords clashing against the rapier. Weiss could see now that her weapon was slowly starting to become coated in a layer of ice, making it much heavier than it needed to be.

"Why are you with the Twilight's Hammer, Glacies?!" Weiss demanded as she stepped back, parrying as many blows as she could.

"Don't call me that!" Arcurion snarled as he continued his assault. "I loved you Weiss. More than anything!"

As Arcurion continued his assault, he managed to disarm Weiss, sending her weapon flying to the side. Before she could think to recover the weapon, he was upon her again, hacking and slashing with his twin blades. Her Aura was taking the brunt of the assault for her, but she knew it wouldn't last forever.

"I was willing to cast aside my family for you." Arcurion hissed as he kicked Weiss in the stomach, sending her sprawling to the ground in a heap. "And how did you repay my devotion? My love for you? You abandoned me the first chance you got."

Weiss let out a cry as Arcurion pulled her back towards him, rolling her over so she was lying on her back. He then began to pummel her, each blow more powerful than the last.

"And for what? A school that fell with little resistance." Arcurion growled, picking Weiss up and delivering a punch to her gut, releasing her from his grip, sending her flying into the snow, her Aura shattered. "What do you have to say for yourself, hmm? For your selfishness? What do you have to say?!"

"I'm sorry..."

Arcurion paused as he regarded Weiss' answer, cocking his head to the side as Weiss tried to get up, blood dripping from her mouth, and the skin around her eye bruised.

"Sorry?" Arcurion repeated, somewhat bewildered by the response, his face softening somewhat.

"Yes, I'm sorry." Weiss repeated, wincing as she tried to stand, though she quickly fell again. "I was selfish in my actions, and I was too scared to tell you in person. But know that I never stopped thinking about you, and if this is the result of my actions then I wish I could have done something to stop it. I...I hope you can forgive me..."

Weiss watched as Arcurion stared waywardly at the floor, his gaze no longer filled with hatred. But then his face hardened as he balled his hands into fists.

"Sorry? Sorry doesn't turn back the clock! Sorry doesn't change what you did to me!" Arcurion roared as his right hand formed into blade, stomping forward towards Weiss.

Weiss panicked as she tried to drag herself away from Arcurion, who was getting closer with each passing second. And then her hand touched the grip of _Myrtenaster_ , and she felt a surge of hope. Grabbing hold of the blade fully, she let out a roar as she lunged forward with her weapon, the tip aimed directly at his stomach. And her heart broke when the blade immediately shattered upon touching the Ascendant's skin. Weiss looked at the hilt, all that remained of her blade as Arcurion looked at where the blow had been directed.

And then with a sneer, he impaled her with his own blade.

Weiss gasped as she felt the icy weapon pierce her stomach, looking down as she groped at the weapon in question, already her skin freezing over around the wound. Arcurion pulled the blade free, Weiss falling to her knees as she looked down in shock at the wound. With misty eyes she looked up again at Arcurion, who held the blade aloft, ready to strike her again.

But he never got the chance.

A shadow soon cast itself upon the pair, and Arcurion leapt back. Weiss could not make out much, but she recognised the form of a Blue Drake, the reptile roaring savagely as it stood protectively in front of her. And then, her vision blackened, and she lost consciousness.

 **00000000**

 **And done. Liked it? Feel free to leave a review and constructive criticism welcomed. Any questions? Either PM me or leave in your reviews. Next update should be March 30th.**

 **Raging Archon out.**


	24. What Comes Next

**Hello everyone, and I'm back. First, review response time. Dracus7; I've actually never played the Witcher 3, so it is an unlikely crossover to happen I'm afraid. Now, on with the show!**

 **00000000**

 **Chapter 24- What Comes Next**

Weiss could not see anything in front of her. Nor could she remember what had happened. She remembered only fragments, and even they seemed out of place. She saw memories of her in her youth, where she pretended to do battle with imaginary foes with nothing but an old cane. She remembered fighting the Arma Gigas, and the scar she now bore. She remembered Beacon burning, and the monstrous Black Dragon that brought it down. And she remembered her old flame, now nothing but a shadow of his former self, piercing her stomach.

That was right. She'd been impaled. Then did that mean...was she dead?

If so, the afterlife was in some dire need of refurbishment. Seriously, not even the faintest piece of architecture or anything to greet her. Yet still, she knew that she was not alone. Far away, in what direction Weiss could not tell, she could feel a great power pulling her towards it. When she strained, she could hear a thick accented laughter. Not a dark or evil laughter, but not a friendly laughter either. She did her best to stay away, but who knew how long she could keep from it.

Was this it? Was this all that death would offer? Before she could contemplate further, she felt something begin to pull her away. Not the strange force that she felt before, but a different one. One that felt comforting and warm. The closer she came to it, the more she could see. She could see faintly make out tree, as well as clusters of stars that shone brightly in the night sky. She could make out the broken fragments of the moon, each shard hanging as if suspended by string.

And then she could make out the forms of individuals who surrounded her. Most were Dragons, but there was one that looked Human, hooded and robed with immaculate metal covering his forearms and what could be seen of his chest. In his hands was a staff that seemed to brim with golden energy, so much so that she did not realise at first that the Dragons were channelling Arcane energy into the staff to suppress it. She could see little of his face due to the hood, but what she could see she did not recognise. Save for his eyes. She didn't know why, but she knew those eyes.

Eventually, those around her seemed to notice her stir, and the one who held the staff lowered it, a look of relief in his eyes. Immediately the Dragons stopped channelling their energies, and one amongst them whispered an incantation, a purple sheen enveloping the staff, causing it to disappear. Weiss groaned groggily, attempting to sit up, only to fail. The figure before her placed a hand on her shoulder holding her down, though not forcefully.

"Thank goodness you survived. I-...we thought that you would be beyond saving."

That voice, she knew that voice. It sounded different to usual, but she knew that voice as much as she knew those eyes.

"Narygos?..." Weiss asked weakly, though she did not need an answer to confirm her suspicions.

"Yes, it is I." Narygos replied with a slight chuckle, drawing his hood back as he did so. His skin was as pale as Weiss' own, with blue black hair that was ruffled in an unkempt manner. Most notable however were the small crystal like horns that lined his brow, three arcing above each eye.

"I-...what happened? How did I get here?" Weiss asked, wincing slightly when she felt a pain in her stomach.

"We routed the Twilight's Hammer and foiled their plans, but alas, Onyxia and many more of her kind escaped." Narygos explained, though his face grew grim as he spoke the next few words. "You had been...impaled by a being of ice when I found you, and your weapon was broken beyond repair."

"Glacies..." Weiss replied with a faint sob, remembering the fate of her former lover. "It was Glacies..."

"I...I don't understand." Narygos replied, more confused than anything. "I thought you said he died in an accident? That his home had burned down?"

"I thought so too, but it was all a lie." Weiss replied, her voice cracking somewhat. "He must have faked his own death, to join the Cult. I...I don't know..."

Narygos seemed to be lost, seemingly unable to wrap his mind around what he had been told. He rubbed the back of his head, ruffling it more so. And then she saw anger in his eyes, not directed at her, but himself.

"Had I known this I would have killed him where he stood." he hissed, his hands clenching into fists. "I would have hunted him down like the dog he is."

"He...he's not dead?" Weiss asked, wincing slightly when a stab of pain radiated through her body.

"No, he escaped on the back of a Twilight Grimm." Narygos confirmed, calmer than he had been. "I would have pursued, but you were dying. If I didn't bring you back here I thought-..."

"Thought what?" Weiss asked when Narygos did not continue. Slowly, he turned to look her in the eyes, the faintest of tears beginning to form.

"I thought...that I would lose you." Narygos replied, sighing slightly as he lowered his head. "And I'm not ready to lose you. I love you Weiss, more than anything."

Weiss began to smile, using what little of her strength she had to reach out and cup Narygos' cheek in her hand. Narygos flinched slightly at the sudden contact, though he did nothing to pull away.

"I...I love you too." she weakly replied.

And then, acting on pure instinct, she reached forward and kissed Narygos on the lips. He seemed shocked at the sudden contact, though he did not protest. Slowly, he too melted into the kiss, and the two simply sat there, the only witnesses to their affection being the stars above.

 **00000000**

"I trust you are faring well?" Kalecgos asked, as he sat in front of Kirygosa, who held her Whelpling close. Both looked stronger than they had done before, the Whelp more so than his mother.

"Yes, Kalecgos. I am being treated well." Kirygosa replied, her lips curling into a smile as she nudged her child affectionately, the Whelp chirping in agreement. "I have heard...rumours, about my Brother."

Kalecgos lowered his head slightly, sighing deeply as he contemplated how best to tell her. After much deliberation, he decided it was best to simply tell her the full truth bluntly. At least what they knew.

"I am afraid the rumours are true." Kalecgos said quietly. "Your brother was in league with the Black Dragonflight. It is believed that they wanted him as Aspect, for what purpose I do not know. When he lost, they killed him, so they could reactivate the surge needle."

Kirygosa did not reply immediately, instead contemplating what she had been told. Eventually, she closed her eyes and nodded her head in acceptance.

"I think, somehow, I knew. Deep down in my mind I knew he was involved with the Black Flight." Kirygosa admitted. "And the surge needle?"

"We're transporting it to a more secure location, to ensure it does not fall into the wrong hands again." Kalecgos replied, Kirygosa nodding her head in slight approval. "There is...another reason I have come to see you."

"Oh?" Kirygosa asked, tilting her head inquisitively.

"As you are aware, I am the Aspect of Magic. But I only claimed the title because of your absence." Kalecgos said, Kirygosa narrowing her eyes slightly. "The title is yours, Kirygosa. You deserve it more than I do."

Kirygosa's eyes widened at the claim, her head tilting back slightly.

"I-...I don't what to say..." Kirygosa began, her mouth agape slightly. And then she began to shake her head. "No, I cannot accept your offer."

"But why?" Kalecgos asked, shocked at the refusal of his offer.

"I may have been absent Kalec, but our brethren chose you as their leader." Kirygosa began, pausing only slightly before continuing. "They believed that you could make a difference. If you were to suddenly step down, who knows what will happens. All I care about right now, is ensuring my child grows up to see a world free of corruption. And that future is most realised in you."

"I...I understand." Kalecgos slowly accepted, nodding his head in submission. "These are trying times for all of us. Although we foiled their plans, the Twilight's Hammer still has a presence here, and there are other dire concerns. When I was investigating the whereabouts of Onyxia, I learnt that the Zandalari were reconnecting with their northern cousins, even going so far as to send an emissary."

"Do the Bronze's know?" Kirygosa asked, concern clear as day on her face.

"I don't know, they have been silent for years. But regardless, we must be cautious. The Troll's are a relentless force, and their Gods are perhaps powerful enough to rival even us." Kalecgos predicted, Kirygosa sighing slightly in exasperation. "But still, we must look to our own borders. Too long have we been hiding away from the mortal world, too long have we forsaken our duty. From this day forth, we will defend this land from those who would do it harm, even to our dying breath."

Kirygosa smiled softly at Kalecgos, lowering her head in approval at the bold words.

"As you command, Aspect." Kirygosa replied, her Whelp letting out a shrill cry in tandem.

With that, Kalecgos let out a mighty roar, one so loud it could be heard for miles on end. Shortly after, other roars like it followed in response. From the Dragonshrine, Blues of all shapes and sizes flew upwards like a storm. The Blue Dragonflight was going to war, a war that would likely claim many of them. But all of them knew that if they sat and did nothing, then all life would perish.

 **00000000**

Weiss had been sat doing nothing for nearly three weeks. And now at last she was fit and able to walk freely without any pain, save for a slight numbness where she had been impaled. The wound would surely scar, she was certain of it, but better a scar than dead. She knew she might not be so lucky the next time, and if she truly was to come across her former lover again, she would need to be armed and ready.

She was going to need a new blade.

Narygos had exchanged words with Kalecgos, and he had come to a satisfactory solution. Weiss would be allowed to take a weapon from the vault, and use it as her own. And Weiss knew exactly what weapon she was going to claim.

She wandered the darkened halls, looking at the magical weapons on display. She came across the sword, _Felo'melorn_ , and paused. Gingerly, she reached out and grasped the blade by the hilt, her grip tightening as she tried to get used to the feel of a weapon in her hand again. The blade felt surprisingly light, in spite of its size, and she felt a surge of warmth from the flames that danced on its edge. Yet as she admired the blade, she felt a sudden coldness creep up behind her, as a familiar melodic voice chuckled inside her head.

" _So, the lost bird returns, as I foresaw."_ the voice laughed, each syllable sending a shiver down her spine. _"You and I both know what we are up against. You will need my strength to overcome our foes. Release me, and I will grant you my power..."_

"Why?" Weiss asked the voice, turning to the prison where the entity was. "If you are as powerful as you claim to be, why are you trapped? You are nothing."

" _Nothing?"_ the voice asked, as her head was suddenly overcome by insane laughter. _**"I am a God!"**_

Weiss' vision was suddenly overcome by a blinding light, followed by an overwhelming darkness. When Weiss' vision returned, she saw herself no longer standing in the vault, but on an alien world with an alien sky. And in front of her was a being unlike anything she had seen before. It was shapeless and massive, with tendrils and feelers sprouting out, with a thousand eyes and a thousand mouths, all of them lined with an innumerable amount of teeth.

" _ **Before you walked this land, I ruled!"**_ the voice claimed, though it now sounded like a million voices speaking at once, each one different to the last. **_"I am Xal'atath, that which was ancient when this world was but moments from birth! Bow before your new God, and be spared!"_**

At first, Weiss could not move, she could not breath. And then, with a mighty yell, she lunged forth with her new weapon and struck out at the eldritch abomination before her. The second the blade met flesh, her vision flashed as if she had just been in the heart of a storm. When her vision cleared, she was back in the vault, surrounded by the magical artefacts within. And right in front of her was the broken prison of the entity.

Weiss felt her heart stop as she heard the voice, now once again identifiably female, laugh in triumph as she slumped to her knees. Shadowy magic began to light up the inside of the prison, swallowing whatever was within.

" _Thank you, my child."_ Xal'atath said, her voice a mirthful chuckle as the light within began to vanish. _"We will meet again, when the circle nears completion."_

And with that, the voice was gone, along with any remnant of the danger that had been present in the prison. But that didn't matter to Weiss. All she could think was one dreaded thought.

What had she done?

 **00000000**

It had been nearly a month after her rescue. She would forever carry the scars of what those savages had done to her, but she had been deemed once again fit for active duty and able to fight in the field. Not that she considered some back alley slum in Argus to be 'in the field', but details.

Winter watched as the last of the Twilight's Hammer Cultists who had surrendered were rounded up, hands secured behind their backs by electronic cuffs. They were then forced to their knees, along with the rest of the captured Cultists, where they would remain until Transport could be arranged to take them back to Atlas for questioning.

"Ma'am, that's the last of them." a Soldier informed as he approached the Specialist, saluting as he did so. "All the other Cultists either ran off when the fighting started or are on the floor dead."

"Good work Soldier," Winter replied, turning to face the man as she spoke. He saluted crisply, before turning around back to his duties.

" _Ma'am, we've just finished confiscating the last of the Dust caches but-"_ the voice on the intercom in her earpiece paused, almost as if the operator on the other end didn't know how to proceed. _"We have an unidentified object here, lots of them. We're not quite sure how to describe it."_

"I'm on my way." Winter replied, turning around to where the Soldiers had reported from.

She entered the storage chamber, where the Cultists had been keeping their Dust stored, along with a number of weapons and armour. She continued walking, catching sight of a crowd of Soldiers, all of them looking at something on the ground in front of them.

"What's all this about, men?" Winter asked, slightly miffed that not a single one of them had been on lookout duty. If she had been leading an enemy squadron she could have torn through them without a single one of them firing.

Without a word, the Soldiers parted, and Winter found herself lost for words. In front of her was an alien construct of some form, shaped like a doorway, with many crates also of alien origin surrounding it, the containers seemingly brimming with pure Void energy.

"Contact the General." Winter ordered, her voice dangerously quiet. "Inform him we have a potential escalation on our hands..."

 **00000000**

 **And...finished. I know, I wasn't expecting it either. Can anyone guess who or what the unidentified objects at the end belonged too? Would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you to everyone who has stayed on board for this story, and a sequel focusing on Blake will be coming at the end of next month, titled 'Fury of the Sands'.**

 **Raging Archon out, for the final time.**


End file.
